


Words with Friends

by Nolebucgrl



Category: Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: All Human, F/M, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-04
Updated: 2013-04-20
Packaged: 2017-11-06 20:57:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 61
Words: 313,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/423115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nolebucgrl/pseuds/Nolebucgrl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bella Swan has a major crush on a major star, Edward Cullen. They have an obsession with the same game. Can they connect through Words with Friends and become more than that?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Name

**Author's Note:**

> A little preface on this one. As some of you may remember, Rob was on Leno about a month ago and he mentioned that he was obsessed with Words with Friends. I may, or may not, have immediately grabbed my iPhone and fired off a request to what would be an obvious screen name for him. My fertile imagination dreamed of him playing with me, finding me cool and of course falling madly in love with me. What? It could happen! Okay, not in real life, but it could certainly happen in fic, right? This is how my story would have gone, if only Rob would have accepted my request and gotten to know me. hehe Dare to dream!

"Hurry up! It's almost time!" my best friend and roommate Alice shrieked from the living room. I glanced at the clock and vaulted off my bed and into the living room. Alice and Rose were already curled up on the couch so I sank into the recliner and sat forward eagerly.

"Right after the commercial," Rose told me. Alice, wearing her favorite pink Victoria's secret nightshirt, was practically vibrating with excitement. Rose tried to appear bored but I saw her tapping her fingers on her knee.

The ridiculous diaper commercial ended and we all sat forward when David Letterman announced, "Tonight's first guest is the huge movie star of the Steele Trilogy and he's here tonight to talk about his new movie, Wild at Heart. Ladies and gentleman, Edward Cullen!" The crowd applauded and there he was, looking devastatingly gorgeous in black jeans and dark green t-shirt that set off his eyes. His hair was in its usual untamed state, looking as if he'd just gotten laid in the green room, which wasn't out of the realm of possibility since he was the hottest star in Hollywood right now.

He smiled that trademark, lopsided smile that was sort of a half smirk, the kind of smile that a guy gave you when he knew you wanted to be spread-eagled and naked beneath him as soon as possible. My heart pounded in my chest at just the sight of him. He was too beautiful to be real.

"Bella's gone," Rose announced, snapping her fingers in front of my eyes. I swatted her hand away impatiently and concentrated on the glorious man before me. He was only 25 but he'd already starred in five blockbuster movies; the three Steele action films, and two romantic comedies. Wild at Heart was his first romantic drama and I couldn't wait to see him show off his acting chops. There was a major buzz around this movie, both because of his acting and because he had been romantically involved with his co-star, Irina Ivanov, a Russian import with jet black hair, ice blue eyes, and cheekbones that could cut glass. They'd been a stunning couple but had abruptly broken up shortly after the film wrapped. Thank God, she seemed like a total bitch and rumor was she'd cheated on him. How anybody could be stupid enough to cheat on Edward Cullen was beyond me. I'd never look at another man again if he was mine.

"In this movie, you play a Rodeo rider who gets badly injured and has to undergo therapy, correct?" Dave asked.

Edward nodded. "Matt Walker is a famous rodeo rider and he doesn't think he has anything to live for when he suffers paralysis after a bad throw from his horse during a competition. His nurse, Sarah Millings, fights him and fights for him and they fall in love along the way. It was a very challenging role, channeling that helplessness."

"And your former girlfriend, Irina Ivanov, plays Sarah?"

Edward paused to take a sip of his water. It would appear to most people that he was just getting a drink, but I could tell he was irritated. There was a flash of anger in those green eyes that was hard to see unless you were looking for it.

"Yes, she does a good job with the role. It required being tough but also sympathetic and having to straddle the line between coddling him and challenging him. Irina rocked it."

"Is it difficult to see the two of you on the big screen together?"

Edward shook his head. "It's like with any role. You remember the character, but you're not him anymore. I'm getting ready to film the next Steele movie, so I'm already back to identifying with Steven Steele."

"And we can't wait for that one." Letterman turned back to the audience. "We'll be right back with Edward Cullen after this."

"Asshole," I muttered when the commercials came on.

"Edward? I thought he did great!" Alice defended hotly. Her crush on him was nearly as bad as mine, though I didn't think she thought about him as embarrassingly often as I did.

"Not Edward! He was perfect, as always. Letterman. Asking him about Irina like that."

"Whore," Rose intoned at the same time that Alice said, "Cunt."

"Exactly. It sucks that he has to get asked about her all the time. They've been broken up for six months." It made me angry on his behalf, which I knew was stupid but it made me feel good to defend him. At least someone was. His ex was all over the magazine covers with a different guy every week while Edward was shown alone or with friends. He wasn't dating, or if he was, it was being kept very quiet. I hoped he wasn't dating. I mean, I wanted him to be happy but I liked pretending he was single and that I stood a chance, miniscule though that might be.

The commercial break ended and Edward told Dave about a recent trip home to Chicago. "I dropped my phone into Lake Michigan when a wave tipped the boat I was in. Thank God there's an Apple Store right around the corner from my parent's house."

"Ahh, so you're an iPhone user, huh?"

Edward grinned. "It doesn't really matter to me, but I'm very addicted to my Words with Friends app. I couldn't go a day without playing." I sat up a little straighter and looked at Alice and Rose. Alice was up in a flash, running to her room and grabbing her iPhone before returning to the couch.

"I'm going to play Words with Friends with Edward Cullen!" she announced. On TV, a snippet of Edward's movie was running. He was arguing with Irina about therapy, looking massively hot, even in an ugly hospital gown.

"You don't know his screen name." Alice was typing away on the phone and ignoring Rose.

"StevenSteele works! I just sent a request!" Alice hugged her phone to her chest and looked starry eyed.

"You really think he'd use his character name for his phone?" I asked, eying her incredulously.

"Well, what else would he use?" Alice asked, snapping off the TV now that Edward's part on the show was over.

I opened my mouth to tell her exactly what he'd use but then closed it. Why clue her in? Why not try to play with him myself? Hmmm, playing with Edward Cullen, there was a thought. I shrugged instead.

"You wait and see! He's gonna respond!" Alice announced, standing up to walk back to her bedroom.

Rose snorted. "Sure, shorty. Edward Cullen will randomly select you among the masses that just rushed to ask him to play."

"You never know!" she sang as she danced back to her bedroom. I unfolded myself from the recliner, said goodnight to Rose and headed back to my own room. I had a lit class at 8 AM and it was time to get some sleep.

I climbed into bed and reached to turn off my lamp. My own iPhone lay on the nightstand, charging away. I picked it up and turned it on, hitting my Words with Friends app. BlueBel22 had five games going, but I ignored those and hit the green plus symbol at the corner of the screen. I pulled up User Name and typed Skeletor. Edward had talked in numerous interviews about his love for the cartoon He-Man as a child and how that skeleton bad guy had amused him. It had just a good a chance of being him as anything else, right? Well, maybe I needed something else. His favorite number was 17; he'd said that in his first Entertainment Weekly interview.

Skeletor17 came back as an active name and I started a new game. I giggled when I saw my letters. PEEN? I was not going to play the word peen against Edward Cullen. Mane? Eh. Name…that was good. There was a meaning there, as I wanted badly to know his name, if Skeletor17 was Edward Cullen. I played that for my measly 8 points and closed the app before turning off my phone.

I had to get to bed so I wasn't a zombie in class tomorrow. Maybe I'd wake to a response from Edward. A girl could dream.


	2. Spy

I woke up to the sound of Lady Gaga assuring me that I was born this way, which made me groan and smack my alarm quickly. Her songs were annoyingly catchy and the last thing I needed was to have that in my head all day. I turned on my iPhone and pulled up my Words with Friends app for the fifth time since I'd sent the invitation to Skeletor17, but there was still no response. Yeah, I slept for shit last night, too anxious to know if I'd found him to bother with something as important as sleep. In other words, I was a fucking moron.

I stumbled into the bathroom and splashed cold water on my face in an effort to wake up. Whatever had possessed me to sign up for an 8 AM 14th Century Lit Class in my senior year? That was the kind of moronic move a freshman would make, but no. I had to brush up on my Chaucer. Joy.

After I showered, I pulled on a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved red shirt. Fall in Washington was absolutely beautiful and I was going to enjoy the upper 60's we were assured for the day. I went into the kitchen and poured myself a cup of coffee. Rose didn't have class until 9:45 but Alice was up and around for her bio class. She grinned at me widely as she filled her to-go cup and grabbed her backpack. I shouldered mine and we left together as we did every Tuesday and Thursday morning.

Alice wasn't a morning person so I had no idea what was causing her to sport that shit-eating grin. She waited until we were out of our apartment building before letting out an ear-splitting screech that caused me to cover my ears.

"What in the hell is wrong with you, Alice?" I demanded. Thank God she'd waited until we were outside to scream like that because Rose would have killed us both dead first and asked questions later. She was less of a morning person than the both of us combined.

"Nothing's wrong! Everything's so, so right." Her gray eyes were dreamy as she held both hands over her heart. "He accepted my game! Not even ten minutes after I sent the request, Edward played the word heart, which of course is a sign!" She punctuated her words with a ridiculous little twirl, flaring out her black skirt.

My heart dropped at her words, but then I remembered that ridiculous name she'd chosen as his handle and I knew it couldn't be Edward. He'd never go for something so obvious or lame. Why not just be Edward Cullen then?

Alice was so excited that I didn't have the heart; which I'm sorry, was not a damn sign; it was a fucking word, to rain on her parade.

"Did you message him?"

"Of course! I said I was his biggest fan." She reached out and touched my right arm, looking at me earnestly. "No offense, Bella. I know you're probably a bigger fan but I could hardly call myself his second biggest fan, could I?"

I bit back a rude response and nodded at her to go on. "Anyway, I played mine off of heart, like my heart is his! Isn't that the cutest?"

It was equal parts cute and annoying, if I was being honest, which of course I wasn't. Annoyance was winning out the longer I thought about it. Why couldn't my Edward have responded? Even though she undoubtedly had the wrong Edward, I couldn't help but wish I'd been the one to get an answer. Then again, maybe the fact that he hadn't just proved that I had it right and Alice had it wrong.

"Did he say anything back?"

She giggled. "He said 'Thanks. Steven Steele Is a heck of a character.' Then he asked if my name was was Alice. He's so perceptive," she gushed.

Ha! Edward Cullen would never say anything so lame. Heck? Alice was clearly playing with a 12-year old. Ew, that sounded wrong. I knew better than to try to discourage her from the notion that she had the real Edward instead of some pre-pubescent boy that thought Steven Steele was the coolest character in the world, which of course he was. But Edward would never actually say that.

"Your screen name is AmazingAlice, it's not rocket science to deduce that might be your actual name," I replied dryly.

"You of all people know how smart he is, Bella," she snarled, her excitement fading away due to my reaction. I immediately felt bad. I was being a bitch, shooting holes in Alice's theories just because my own Edward had yet to reply to me. Of course, the fact that hers apparently had no life and replied pretty much instantly would make me suspicious, but Alice deserved to have her fun. There was no harm in it. Alice was my best friend and if she was happy, I should be happy for her.

"Sorry. I didn't sleep well." That was the truth. Between waking to check my phone every couple of hours, I'd had a couple of crappy dreams about Edward rejecting me, both in the game and in person so I wasn't in the best of moods. "I'm excited for you, really." I tried to put more warmth into my tone. "I hope it's him."

Alice grinned, her good humor restored. She was quick to bounce back, which was one of her best traits in my eyes. "Of course it's him! He's going to fall in love with me and whisk me away to Hollywood. I'll co-star in a movie with him and then we'll get married and have lots of pretty babies."

I couldn't help it. I laughed at her ridiculousness. "There's a flaw in your plan. You can't act."

She pouted and elbowed me. "That's not true! I was awesome in Romeo and Juliet."

"You were the only one small enough to fit in that ridiculous tower we designed," I replied. She laughed along with me. "And that was the fifth grade. You'll need to brush up on your skills a bit."

"It'll all come back to me, you'll see." I shook my head and decided to let her have her delusions. What harm would it do?

"I have no doubt you'll take Hollywood by storm, Alice."

She gave me a hard hug as we came to stop in front of Prentiss Hall. "Thanks, Bella! I'll be sure to take you right to the top with me. Edward must have gorgeous friends. You never know!" I did know but I wasn't about to attempt to drag Alice back into reality. Once she started, there was no stopping her. I hugged her back.

"It's nice of you to think of me, Alice."

"Of course! You're my best friend in the world and I love you bunches. Fame and fortune won't change that."

I laughed and waved her off. "Get to class, crazy person. I'll see you later."

I went into class and zoned out while my professor yammered about The Knight's Tale. Ninety interminable minutes later I was free at last and I wandered out to sit at one of the picnic tables in the quad. My next class wasn't until 11:45 so I had some time to read for awhile before class. I pulled out my new copy of _Wild at Heart_ and started to flip it open but I had to stop to stare at the cover. I'd read the book countless times and had one of the original copies but I'd had to buy the movie companion edition so I could have the cover with Edward on it, looking so broken but yet still so beautiful.

I traced his incredible jaw line for a moment and allowed myself to imagine that I was the one that got to take care of him and bring the smile back to that perfect face. My phone buzzed and I grabbed it from my bag. Alice wanted to know if I wanted to grab something to eat before our next class. I texted her back where I was and she said she'd meet me in ten minutes.

Closing my book, I stashed it back in my bag. My phone was still on and I figured I may as well check once more to see if he'd played. I was probably doomed to disappointment yet again but it was a worth a shot.

I opened the Words with Friends app and oh my God, Skeletor17 had responded! My hand was shaking as I pulled up the game. He'd played the word 'teams' off the e in my 'name'. There was a 1 next to the little green message. Edward Cullen had sent me a message! I hit the button and pulled it up.

**_Hi. Do I know you?_ **

How best to answer that question? No, but I know you? Great, Bella, that sounds like you're some psycho stalker that will be boiling his bunny at first opportunity. No, but I'd like for you to? That seemed a bit forward, like I was offering my body or something. I mean, I totally would if he wanted me, but that probably wasn't the initial first impression I needed to make.

Shit, what did I say to the person who might be my dream my guy? These would be our first words to one another. Someday, it could be the start of our epic love, the story that we told everyone about how we met and got to know one another. What? It could happen! I needed to be both profound and memorable.

Do you know me? No. Alright, we'll start with no.

_No, I just wanted someone new to play with._

__Well that was just ridiculous, I wasn't going to send that. I moved to the backspace key but hit send. Shit! Unsend! Unsend! Why wasn't there a fucking unsend when you needed it? So much for profound…more like pathetic. Time for some damage control.

_Oh, I didn't mean it like that! Sorry, I'm a spaz._

Great, now I sounded like an idiot. He'd resign and stay the hell away from me for sure. I quickly played spy off his teams for 11 points and closed the app. May as well send the message that I was nothing but a bumbling spy, like that Inspector Clouseau guy. I sucked. My friendship with Edward Cullen was over before it started.


	3. Chug

"Bella! Get in here! Edward's coming on Oprah." Thanks, Rose, like I didn't know? I'd set the DVR and now I wanted to stew in my bedroom over my own idiocy for awhile instead of look at the most gorgeous man on earth that I'd probably just scared away forever. A blond head poked into my bedroom. "I'm sorry, have you gone deaf? I said Edward's about to come on TV and yet here you sit, reading some lame book."

I glared at her. "That lame book is a piece of classic literature that…ugh, you're right, it is a lame book." I slammed down The Canterbury Tales, which I didn't usually think was lame but spending an entire class on it was killing any interest I'd once had in the damn thing.

Rose plopped on my bed and tossed my book on the floor, which normally would irritate me but I couldn't work up the emotion. "So, what's wrong with you? Your true love is on TV and you're not gonna watch?"

True love…if only. "I'm recording it."

She laughed and smacked my leg. "And since when has that stopped you from watching while it aired too? Is it this whole Alice thing?"

Alice, thankfully, was in class. She'd played a couple more words with "her" Edward and had texted both of us updates on her quest to become Mrs. Cullen. I swear, if I didn't love her, I'd hate her. That was just Alice though. She'd always dreamed bigger than anyone I ever knew. If anyone was going to get swept to Hollywood to marry a movie star over a Words with Friends game, it would be her.

"No."

"Please, Bella, I know you both. Have you read the shit that she claims he's been saying?" She rolled her eyes and shook her head, her golden hair cascading down her shoulders. "Edward Cullen would not call his character the coolest ever, or whatever she said. And I highly doubt he'd be telling her how amazing she was already."

I snorted. "He's just playing off her name."

"Exactly. If she's talking to Edward Cullen, I'll shave my head and run naked through the quad."

I laughed and gave her a once over. "And the guys will still find you attractive."

She chuckled. "But of course. Speaking of guys…don't give me that look." What look was I giving her? Oh, right, that would be my not interested look. She nudged my arm. "There's a big party at Sig Ep tomorrow night and it's just the medicine you need to get you out of this funk. Better yet, we both know how caught up in a party Alice gets. She'll forget all about StevenSteele."

Sure she would. "You know better than that, Dr. Hale. I don't want to go Sig Ep."

"Why not? Tyler's not around anymore." She peered over at me. "You're not still hung up on that asshole, are you?"

As if that was possible. "No, but I don't really want to go hang out with his frat brothers and be reminded what a moron I was for two years."

Rose shifted and slipped her arm around my shoulders. "First off, you aren't a moron. And you're certainly not the first girl that got lied to by a guy. Second, you're not the only girl that's been cheated on." Her mouth settled into a grim line and I knew she was thinking of Royce. He'd been banging half the campus behind her back. But she'd never foolishly thought he loved her either.

"Yes, Rose, but that whole frat knows that he had a girlfriend back at home for the entire two years we were dating and that he knocked her up. They know why he didn't come back this year." Why couldn't he have just disappeared without feeling the need to explain his damn self to them? It was bad enough when I got the phone call from him my first day back. Did he have to call them, too? I saw the looks they'd given me, some smug, some pitying, all of them knowing. It fucking sucked. It was much safer to give my heart to a celebrity that didn't know I was alive. No real heartache involved there.

"No, what they know is that Tyler's super hot ex is available. He may be a cock and a half, but not all of them are like that. I know for a fact that Mike Newton's dying to ask you out."

Mike Newton. Tyler's ex roommate. Of course he wanted to ask me out. He'd seen me in various states of undress over the years and made no attempt to hide the fact that he liked what he saw.

"Would you go out with Mike Newton?" I asked her, raising my eyebrows in disbelief.

Rose made a face. "No, he's too nice for my taste." I chuckled. It was true, though. Mike was the All-American type, blond hair, blue eyes, nice build; and Rose had a thing for bad boys. Mike reminded me oddly of a Golden Retriever. I liked dogs, but I didn't want to date someone that reminded me of one.

"But you need to get laid and I'm sure he'd be more than willing. So would half the guys there."

"So, your prescription is emotionless sex, Dr. Hale?"

"I've got med school to get through before that's official, but you can keep calling me that, Professor Swan." She flashed me a bright smile. "My prescription is that you get out of this apartment and have some fun. If that happens to involve naked time and mind-blowing orgasms, mores' the better."

"Mike Newton isn't capable of giving mind-blowing orgasms." I knew that without knowing that, and I was never going to know that officially. I bet Edward Cullen could though.

"Alright, so someone other than Mike Newton. Just say you'll come, Bella. You haven't been laid since…" she broke off and grimaced.

"Yes, exactly, since the last time you two dragged me out saying I needed to get laid. And we all know how that ended." I kicked her leg lightly. Mistake of epic proportions was too tame a description for that evening.

"Well, damn, Bella, Sam was a huge guy, who knew he had such a tiny peen?" Rose shook her head sadly. "I'm glad you gave him a test drive before I made that mistake." I laughed in disbelief and shoved her. She giggled and sat up, pushing her hair out of her eyes. "You really took one for the team. Or didn't take one, such as it was."

"Some friend you are." I was laughing with her though, I couldn't help it.

"I'm a very good friend. I gave him to you. It's not my fault he has a pinky peen." I lost it at the expression on her face when she said pinky peen. We'd called him that for weeks after the incident. Thankfully I hadn't seen Sam in a couple of months. I knew I'd laugh if I did.

"Yes, it was very nice of you to back off so I could have the worst night of my life, Rose. Truly, you're the best friend on earth."

She chuckled and rested her head my forearm. "He was hot, though. All those muscles, tattoos, and that tan skin. It's a shame there was a pinky peen beneath all that gorgeous black leather." Ugh, leather. What had possessed me to go there? Oh, right, Rose and Alice and their advice that I get back out there.

"And that only proves the point that I don't need to get laid. It only ends in disaster."

Rose poked my side. "Come on, Bella. Just say you'll come out with us. You can't sit at home every weekend studying and stewing about a hot movie star. You need to live a little." I liked sitting at home and stewing about a hot movie star. Of course, this weekend I'd be stewing about what an idiot was and how I'd driven him away by saying something moronic about wanting to play with someone new. Oh how very true that was though, especially if I was playing with Edward Cullen.

"Alright, I'll go." It was better that than sitting here obsessing all weekend. "But I'm not hooking up with anyone."

Rose sat up and smiled brilliantly. "Good. We need to have some fun before graduation. God knows we're going to be busy as hell the next few years." That was the truth. Rose in med school, Alice in nursing school and me in graduate school; there probably wasn't going to be a lot of partying then. Though knowing those two, we'd find a way.

"Now are you going to come watch your man, or will I be drooling over him alone?" I laughed as she got off the bed.

"I'm coming." I wondered what he was wearing. I wondered if he'd talk to Oprah about some crazy girl he was playing Words with Friends with, until she said something stupid. May as well find out.

"Not yet, but hopefully on Friday you will be." Rose dodged the pillow I threw at her and hurried out of the bedroom laughing.

I would not be getting laid on Friday, that much I knew. I glanced at my iPhone on my nightstand. I hadn't looked at Words with Friends since I'd fired off those ridiculous words this morning. I kinda felt bad for the people I was neglecting and I had to admit I was curious as to whether he'd played. Probably not, seeing as he was talking to the queen of television herself today. I sighed and turned on my phone, opening the app.

There was Alice, still waiting me to play from yesterday. Jess, Angela, Eric and yes, there was a new message from Skeletor17. Dear God. My heart was pounding as I opened up our game. Phage? I knew that word. Well, I knew of that word. It had to do with bacteria. Why did Edward know that word? Because he was brilliant and well read, that's why. Of course he was. Didn't he always seem to have a book with him with the paps caught him out and about?

I hesitated before clicking on that little green message button.

**__A spaz? That's too bad. Here I was thinking my favorite cheese had come to life and was reaching out to me. I guess my nutritionist will be thankful that's not the case. I like playing with someone new, on occasion. Your move, Cheese Girl/Guy?_ _ **

Oh my God, Edward Cullen knew BluBell cheese! And he loved it, just like I did! Who said we had nothing in common? Cheese was a great place to start. Alright, Bella, time to respond in a witty way this time. No more fucking up.

_I'm afraid I'm not your favorite cheese, but I probably wouldn't mind if you took a bite out of me, so long as it wasn't a big one. Who cares what your nutritionist thinks? This girl likes her cheese and so should you!_

That was good, though a bit more forward than I usually was, but what did I have to lose? I'd already said I wanted to play with someone new and that hadn't driven him away, right?

_Who the heck has a nutritionist anyway? You're not some bedridden fat guy that has to be removed from his house by a helicopter are you? It's okay if you are, I'll still play with you, well, electronically anyway._

I laughed out loud at the thought of Edward Cullen being a giant fat guy. He'd be on Oprah for a whole new reason then.

_Your move, He/She-man?_

There. He knew I was a girl now and hopefully he'd let me know he was a he next response. I hadn't scared him away. By some miracle, he was still here playing with me. Oh, God, Edward Cullen playing with me. Those hands…focus, Bella.

I flipped back to the game and studied my letters. Hell yes. I played off his G in phage. Chug, double word score. It was a shout out to Friday night as well. God help me. I shut off my phone and hopped out of bed. Time to watch my He-Man.


	4. Peeked

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this," I muttered to Rose as we walked up the driveway toward the Sigma Epsilon house.

"Come on, Bella. It's Friday night. Even a professor can let down their hair now and then." She tugged on my hair and walked to the front door. Rose looked far too sexy in a siren red dress that clung to every inch of her body and stilettos that would be killing her feet before the end of the night. Perhaps she should specialize in podiatry if she was going to torture her tootsies willingly like that.

Alice looped her arm through mine and gave it a squeeze. "This'll be fun, Bella. It's just what we need!" She wore a dark green dress that flared out when she twirled, which she did a lot even on our short walk over from our apartment. I was in black jeans and Rose's borrowed purple halter top that I was told made me look hot and accessible. I didn't feel like the first and I damn well wasn't the second, but there was nothing wrong with false advertising I supposed. It happened all the time.

"Perk up, woman! What are you sulking about?" I could hardly tell her that I hadn't heard from my Edward since I'd sent those rather forward texts to go with my word and that I was feeling down again. Really, it was too ridiculous for words. Edward was a major movie star promoting a film and he could hardly be expected to be glued to his phone. Even I wasn't glued to mine. I felt it lying reassuringly in my jeans pocket. Well, maybe I was glued to it, but I was 22 and female. That was part of my genetic make-up.

"I'm not sulking." Rose was already inside and I steeled myself to head into the party. Alice brushed a stray piece of hair out of my eyes.

"Yes you are. Listen, Bella, it's not about Edward, is it?" I flinched. How in the hell did she know?

"What?"

"Look, I know I've been kind of caught up with the idea of him, but you know that you always come first, right?" Her gray eyes pled with me to understand and I blew out the breath I'd unknowingly been holding.

"Alice, you're insane but I love you anyway."

She pouted. "You think it's insane that I could be playing with and talking to him?"

Did I think it was insane? No, because I was doing the same thing but hopefully I was doing it for real. "No, anything's possible."

She smiled brightly. "Exactly! There's nothing wrong with trying. And on that note, it's time to get in there and show those Sig Ep boys that Bella Swan is back!" I shook my head but let her drag me inside anyway.

The place was a madhouse and it hadn't changed much at all from last year when I'd been sort of a fixture here. My name was called by several of the frat brothers and I smiled and waved as I made my way over to the keg. May as well do what I'd come here for. I got a bright plastic red cup and waited in line with Alice. She giggled and nudged me when she saw who was filling the cups. I bit back a groan. Mike Newton. Well, I knew I wasn't going to be able to avoid seeing him at this party. May as well get it over with.

We stepped up to the keg and Mike smiled at me widely. "Hi, Bella! How are you? Long time no see!"

You mean long time no see half naked, don't you, Mike? I swear he had radar for when I was in any state of undress in their room and somehow managed to burst in every time. I bet he had cameras pointed at Tyler's bed. Pervert.

"I'm good, Mike. How are you?" I asked flatly. Alice was hailed from across the room by this guy Jared that she hooked up with now and then. She gave me a questioning glance and I nodded. I wasn't going to make her stay chained to my side all night, even though she should after all the torture she'd put me through this week. Then again, if she did, she'd probably talk about Edward. Being stuck with Mike was better than that, marginally.

"I'm great now that you're here." He abandoned the keg, taking his own cup of beer and somehow managing to steer me out of the living room, past the blaring stereo and into the slightly less ear-shattering library. I looked around but Alice was nowhere to be seen and Rose had a heavy flirt going on with Brady Harrison, president of the fraternity. He'd been after her for awhile and it looked like she just might be willing to give him a chance tonight. She caught my eye and winked, then made a face when she saw me with Mike. I shrugged and collapsed onto one of the couches.

One hour and I was outta here. Rose and Alice were likely going to be occupied all night anyway.

"So, Bella, how are you doing?" Mike put his hand on my knee and I stared at it for a few seconds before turning to look at him with a raised eyebrow. He looked a little embarrassed and removed his hand. Good. Look but don't touch.

"I believe we covered the fact that I'm fine." Okay, there was a bit of a bitchy tone to my voice but he had touched me without permission so I felt justified.

"I meant, with Ty and everything…" he trailed off at the expression on my face, which I'm sure wasn't pleasant.

"That's been over for a long time and I've dealt with it and moved on."

"Oh, well, that's good." He took a sip of his beer and fidgeted nervously next to me. I focused on a hole in the knee of his blue jeans rather than looking at his face. It wasn't that he didn't have a nice face. It was pleasant enough on the whole, kind of round but he wasn't ugly or fat or anything. He just wasn't what I wanted. An image of a firm jaw, green eyes and a wicked, crooked smile flashed across my mind. Damn it.

"So, listen, Bella, if you're really over it maybe you and I could…"

"I need more beer!" I interrupted desperately after I threw back the remainder of my cup. Mike looked startled but took my empty glass from me and stood to go get me another. I mentally berated myself for being such a spaz but I didn't really know what do to when a guy I didn't want asked me out. I'd been in a relationship for most of college and my high school years hadn't exactly been a dating extravaganza. I'd been with Eric for nearly three years and then Tyler for two plus in college. Maybe I should just go. It's not like Edward Cullen was going to ask me out via text, and even if he did, we were in two different states so that was kind of far-fetched, even for my fantasies. Probably not for Alice's though. If her Edward asked her out, she'd probably go screaming it through the quad.

Edward. I sighed and took my phone out of my pocket, unlocking it and opening up the Words with Friends app. Alice, Jess, User113213, Angela and oh yes! Skeletor17 had played and I had that tell-tale green message box! I started to open the game when Mike's voice startled me.

"Any interesting games going? What's your handle? We should play sometime." Nosy bastard. I scowled and shut off my phone. I'd have to read what Edward said as soon as I could get alone, which I was now even more determined to do.

"Um, sure. I'm BluBell22."

He smiled and handed me my cup. "Cute play on your name. Do you like blueberries or something?"

Was he stupid? I didn't think so, but he apparently had no taste for the finer things in life, like Blubell cheese. "They're okay," I responded flatly. Let him think whatever he liked. He clearly didn't get me, not like my Edward did.

"They're my favorite." He smiled in some absurd way that I guessed was supposed to be sexy but just looked like a baby who was passing gas or something. He ran his pointer finger along my bare shoulder and that was that.

"Well, listen, Mike, I have to go. Thanks for the beer." I chugged that glass down too and set it on the coffee table as I pushed to my feet.

"But you just got here!" he protested, reaching out to grab at my hand. I stepped out of the way and backed around the couch.

"I've got some other plans. I just stopped in to see a few friends and make sure Rose and Alice were all set and it looks like they are. I'll see you around, Mike."

"But I was gonna ask if you wanted…"

"Sure, I'll play the game with you, just send me an invite." I turned and pushed my way through the crowd of bodies out the front door. I could hear him calling my name but I really wasn't in the mood to fend him off again so I just walked as quickly as I could, cutting through the campus and heading home. A part of me was itching to stop and see what Edward had said but I decided to wait until I was in the apartment. I didn't need to get assaulted or have my phone stolen or something because I couldn't wait a few minutes.

The instant I stepped inside the apartment and shut and locked the door I had my phone back out of my pocket. I opened the app and pulled up my game with Skeletor17. He'd played the word toxin. That was weird. First phage, now toxin. Was Edward Cullen some kind of germaphobe? Maybe he had a team of doctors along with his nutritionist. Or maybe I was playing with some weirdo like that guy Bill Murray played in _What About Bob?_ who wouldn't touch anything and baby stepped his way through life. I giggled a little at the image of Edward wearing white gloves and taking teeny tiny steps everywhere. No, I think the press would have caught that quirk by now if he had it.

I opened the message box, anxious to see what he had to say to my rather forward message.

**__I only weigh a svelte four hundred pounds and I'm not bedridden, thank you very much. You have to weigh at least six hundred before they call in the helicopters. But I'm sure if I took a bite out of you I'd gain a little and be a step closer to that glory._ _ **

Oh, Edward, you'd gain so much if you took a bite out of me. You just don't know.

**__I'll have you know that I know quite a few people with nutritionists and none of them are glandularly challenged, nor am I really. I know that's not a word that Words with Friends would recognize, but I like it and it gets my point across._ _ **

Edward Cullen made up his own words, just like I did! Cheese and word making…maybe we could have a reality TV show where we ate cheese and made up new words together. Or where we just fucked like rabbits. That was even better.

**__You're the one that loves cheese so much that she named herself after some, so maybe I should be sending the helicopters to you. Where should I send them? Of course, if I'm really He-Man, I guess I could lift you myself, though Battle Cat might have to help if you don't lay off the cheese. Your move, She-Ra._ _ **

I did a ridiculous dance around the living room. He answered me and he had a great sense of humor. But then I knew that from watching him in interviews and reading about him in magazines. I flopped onto the couch and laughed. Edward was awesome, to borrow a word from Alice's fake Edward. And he wanted to know where I lived. Well, turnabout was fair play.

_Do you have helicopters on speed dial? Couple that with the nutritionist and you must be a bazillionaire or something. Is this Donald Trump? Because if it is, I'm afraid I'll have to end this game now. That thing on your head might crawl through my phone and attack me. We can't have that. And see, I can make up my own words as well!_

_I limit my cheese intake, even though it's difficult. However, if you were to take a bite out of me, I promise you'd gain plenty, but in all the right places._ Holy shit, was that too much? I really kinda liked it, even if I was implying that his dick would be the thing getting bigger, especially if we got that reality show. What the hell? I sent it and kept typing.

_You can send your unnecessary helicopters and tigers to Washington State, Mr. Trump, but leave your hair in New York or California, wherever all the nutritionists are flocking these days. If I was a betting girl, I'd say Cali. What say you, Donald?_

That was…pretty awesome if I did say so myself. Hopefully he'd confirm the California thing and I'd have another clue that it was Edward I was really talking to. Whoever he was, he was witty and fun. I couldn't ask for much more than that.

I turned back to our game and laughed when I saw that Edward had left the board wide open for me. I slapped down peeked for a triple word score and got 83 points. I play to win and maybe, just maybe I would win more than this game. I fired off a quick text to Alice and Rose to let them know that I was home and shut off my phone. The first Steven Steele movie was on TV and I thought that was a fine way to spend my evening. _Hard as Steele._ Maybe with my words, he would be.

* * *


	5. Lone

The front door opened and closed quietly. I smirked over my bowl of Fruity Pebbles and waited to see which one of my roommates had made the "walk of shame" first. I heard a thunk and a curse and knew the answer to that question.

"Hey, Rose."

"Damn it! Jesus, you scared me." Rose walked into the living room, kicking off her heels and throwing herself down onto the couch. There was something severely wrong with her looking so decent after a late night and good fucking. Unless, of course, it wasn't good. Her face was scrubbed clean of makeup but other than that she looked much the same as she had last night when we'd left to go to the frat. Well, her hair was a bit windblown but that was about it.

"Have a good night?" I asked, setting my bowl on the coffee table and leaning back in anticipation.

Rose's cheeks flushed a little and she nodded. "Yeah, I did. Brady's really a nice guy."

I raised a brow. Nice guy? Rose didn't do nice guys. "And you ditched him for…?"

Rose kicked my leg with her bare foot. "I didn't ditch him. We spent the night talking. Did you know he wants to be a veterinarian? He really likes animals. It's kind of cute."

"Talking? That's what you did all night long?"

Rose threw back her head and laughed. "Of course not. We screwed each other's brains out after talking, and then talked again."

Huh, this was weird. "So you like him? Are you guys dating or what?"

Rose shifted a little. "Uh, well, he did ask if I wanted to go out tonight. I know we're supposed to do dinner and movies with Alice, Jess and Angela so…"

"So, go with Brady. They'll understand."

"Yeah? You think so? I don't want to ditch you for a guy." She made a face. "I hate girls that do that. I'm not going to be that girl. I'll call him and tell him we'll do it another night."

"You'll do no such thing. You like him, yes?" She nodded. "Then you're going out with him. You can go out with us next weekend or whenever. It's not like you don't live with half of us."

"Yeah, but you wanted to see Edward's new movie and I should go."

"Rose, you know damn well I'll see that movie at least three times. You can go to one of my subsequent viewings."

She shook her head. "I'll say this much for you. You're a dedicated fan. You're the one who should be playing that game with him, not Alice."

Should I tell her? She wouldn't say anything to Alice if I asked her not to and it might be nice to have someone to confide in. Then again, I could end up looking like a giant asshole and she could laugh at me. No, Rose wouldn't laugh at me. Well, not much.

"Maybe I am."

She folded her long legs underneath her and leaned toward me. "What do you mean, maybe you are?"

I took a deep breath. In for a penny…"I mean, the same night that Alice started playing with StevenSteele, I sent an invite out to a different account that made more sense to me. We've played a few words together and talked a little." I bit my lip and waited for her response.

Her eyes narrowed. "What name?"

I hesitated and she rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to play with him, for crying out loud. I don't have an iPhone, remember?"

That was true. Rose lived for her blackberry. "Skeletor17."

Rose made a face. "What the fuck kind of name is that?"

"It's his favorite cartoon character and his favorite number."

She chuckled and rested her arm along the back of the couch, regarding me with interest. "How do you know that?" I started to open my mouth to answer and she carried on. "Never mind, of course you know that. You probably know him better than his mother does." Well I doubted that true. Edward's mother, Esme, was a casting agent. His father was a big-time plastic surgeon out in LA. Hey, maybe that explained why he was using those medical words. Another clue!

"That's not true," I muttered. I could feel my cheeks heating under her gaze.

"So, is it him?"

"I don't know. It might be."

Rose slapped her hand on the back of the couch. "What do you mean it might be? Have you asked him?"

I snorted. "Rose, I can hardly say, hey, dude, are you Edward Cullen? See, I was kind of trying to find you because I'm a pathetic stalker with no life. Let's get married."

Rose laughed hard. "He's probably heard worse! But seriously, you should just ask him his name."

I didn't want to. It sounded stupid but the longer that I went without knowing his name for sure, the longer the fantasy that it could be him stayed alive. And whoever I was playing with was fun. I didn't want to lose our conversations. I was already as addicted to them as I was to Words with Friends.

"I will, eventually. For now I call him other things."

Rose leaned toward me again. "Other things? Like what?" Damn it, me and my big mouth.

"Um, He-Man and Donald Trump."

She stared at me for a minute before dissolving into laughter again. "Only you! What does he call you?"

I smiled. "She-Ra and Cheese girl."

Rose sat up then. "He picked up on your name?"

I nodded smugly. "Yes. Whoever he is, he's very smart and witty. He's not calling his stupid character awesome or whatever Alice's is doing."

Rose sat back again. "Huh. Well, what have you talked about?"

I couldn't begin to explain it. "Um, cheese of course, being fat, nutritionists, Donald Trump's hair. You know, stuff." It all made perfect sense to me but it was clear that Rose was a bit lost by the randomness of our conversations.

"Get your phone," she demanded.

"What?"

"Get your phone, Bella. I have to see this." I shot her a look and she pointed toward my bedroom. "Don't make me get up. I had my legs in…"

"Okay, I'm getting it." I really didn't want to know just what positions Rose had assumed last night. I scurried into my room and unplugged my phone from the charger. I opened the WWF app but he'd yet to play. I walked into the living room and handed it to Rose. She scrolled through the entirety of our conversation, laughing quietly.

"Isabella Swan, I didn't know you had it in you! Look at all this sexual innuendo. Take a bite out of me? You want someone to play with? Mike Newton would be more than happy to…" she broke off with an oomph when I smacked her arm. "Holy shit, are you implying that you'll give him a hard-on if he takes a bite out of you?" She wiped a fake tear away from her eyes. "My little girl! All grown up."

"Shut up and give me back my phone." I snatched it out of her hands while she giggled. "Last time I tell you anything."

She stopped laughing and touched my arm. "Seriously, Bella, I am proud of you. You haven't flirted and put yourself out there in a long time. Even if it's only electronic, I think it's great."

"You do?"

"Sure. And who knows, he may really be Edward Cullen. You stand a way better chance with that guy than Alice does with her weirdo, let me tell you."

"You think so?"

"Of course I do. That dude is sending her lines of poetry that even I know are ripped from the greats. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways!" She threw her hand over her heart dramatically.

"Shut up! Are you serious?" That was just sad.

"Okay, he didn't use that one, but I'm pretty sure he used some damn poem I had to break down in high school. Make her show you."

"I will. Hey, Rose, don't tell her about this, okay?"

She chuckled. "I won't. The last thing we need in this place is a war over who has the real Edward. She'll be pissed that you haven't told her if she does find out. It's not like you haven't had 237 opportunities in the past few days."

That was so very true. His name had come up, mostly from Alice, about that much it seemed.

"So what did you do last night after Newton chased you out of Sig Ep?"

I groaned at that particular memory. "I came home and played with Edward and then watched him on TV."

"Played with Edward. If only! Well that's definitely better than a night with Newton. He was hitting on Jess when Brady and I disappeared."

I laughed. Jessica couldn't stand him either. "Bet he struck out."

Rose yawned and stood, stretching her arms high above her head. "Likely. I need to go to sleep if I'm not going to look like a zombie for my date tonight."

I shook my head. "As if that's possible."

She smiled. "Have fun with Edward. Oh, and if you ever get him to confirm that he is Edward, have him pass my number to that brother of his."

I stared at her. "Emmett? The stunt guy who's been arrested a few times for drunk and disorderly and fighting?"

Rose nodded. "Yeah, he's hot."

"What about Brady?"

She rolled her eyes. "I spent one night with him, Bella. We're not quite ready to be engaged."

"I just thought maybe you were into nice guys now."

Rose grinned. "When they look like Brady, I am. When the bad boys look like Emmett, I'm into them. Equal opportunity slut, my dear."

On that note, she waved and headed into her bedroom, closing the door after her. I got up from the couch and poured my milk in the sink, rinsing out my bowl and spoon and placing them in the dishwasher. I needed to go to the library for a bit to do some research on Betty Friedan for my Feminist Literature class. I'd earn that night out with the girls after that crap. I hated this semester.

I put my phone on my nightstand and hopped in the shower. Edward was very much on my mind but I resisted the urge to relieve the ache between my legs at the thought of him. I had work to do. I dried my hair and pulled on jeans and a gray hoodie, putting my hair in a ponytail. I gathered up my notebooks and pens and slid them into my backpack.

I grabbed my phone and started to leave my room but I heard Alice come in, grumbling about something or other. Jared must have pissed her off as usual.

"Al, what's wrong?"

"That asshole!"

"What did Jared do now?"

She threw her bag on the kitchen table and growled. "He told me I remind him of his ex-girlfriend, and he didn't mean it as a compliment. Prick."

I thought about asking what she did to have him say that but decided against it. "Sorry."

Alice sighed. "I should have known better than to hook up with him. I won't be doing that again." And I had heard that before, so I just nodded. Alice's eyes traveled over me. "Are you going to study?"

"I need to work on my paper a bit before we go out tonight."

The irritation on her face instantly melted off and she squealed. "That's right! We're seeing Edward tonight! I can't believe I forgot. Jared's nothing compared to Edward." Her eyes went dreamy and I tightened my grip on my bag. That was quite true, but she wasn't talking to Edward damn it. I was.

"Yeah. Well I gotta go."

"Okay, see you when you get home. I'm gonna grab something to eat and then crash for awhile."

"See you." I headed out and made the short walk to the library in record time. I was going to have to make sure I sat on opposite end of the row from Alice tonight during the movie. I had a feeling she was going to irritate the shit out of me. Maybe she'd keep her mouth shut about playing WWF with Edward since Jess and Ang would be with us. I could hope.

I tossed my bag on my favorite table near the bibliography section and got out my syllabus. Just as I was about to go to the computer to see what books I should use, my phone beeped with a text message.

 _Do you want to go to Anthony's for dinner before the movie?_ I answered Alice in the affirmative and started to shut off my phone but curiosity got the better of me. It'd been an hour since I checked after all.

I pulled up my WWF app and barely resisted letting out an Alice-like squeal when I saw that he'd played. It was the word "joint" this time. Well, that wasn't medical, unless it was medical marijuana. Then again, his brother had a bagful of pot last time he'd been arrested, so maybe it was the regular old Mary Jane. Or maybe he was trying to say he wanted to be "joint" with me at the waist. Yeah, I liked that one better.

I opened the message box anxiously. What would he have to say to my rather forward words from last night?

**__Oh yes, all of us Californians have helicopters on speed dial, along with nutritionists, psychics and yoga instructors._ _ **

Hot damn, he was in California! Got that one right! And Edward Cullen and yoga…that would be something I'd pay a lot of money to see.

_**_I'm afraid I'm not a bazillionaire, just a plain old millionaire. I wish you could see me hanging my head in shame._ ** _

__I wish I could see you too, Edward. So very much.

_**_You have offended my hair, Cheese Girl. I'm afraid it's going to be even more unmanageable than usual after you dared to question if I was Donald Trump. I'll hold you to blame if someone takes a picture of me looking like the Bride of Frankenstein or something._ ** _

Oh Edward, as if you could ever look bad. But checkmark to the unmanageable hair comment. I loved his riotous hair. It managed to look different in almost every picture. Pictures…let that slip too, didn't you Cullen?

**__At least you're on the right coast. We might be able to play more regularly when I get home and get back on my usual schedule. You're close enough that I can send my helicopter and my nutritionist to you. She can assess just how unhealthy you might be if I did take a bite out of you. I have to know for sure that you'd go to all the right places, as you put it._ Oh my God, I was going to pass out in the library._ **

**__Don't think I didn't notice that 83 point word, missy. You're kicking my ass, so you better make it up to me somehow. Your move, Swiss Miss._ _ **

It was his longest message yet. I glanced around and saw my section was deserted, so I allowed myself a little happy dance and spun around, gripping my phone tightly. More clues, more confirmation that he just might be my dream guy. Okay, Bella, focus and answer the man. Gotta make it good.

I sat back down and tapped on the table for a minute. I just needed to let it rip as I'd been doing from the get go.

 _Psychics huh? Have you consulted her or him about me? What do they say?_ She'll tell you I'm your dream girl and you can come rescue me from Feminist Lit. How very anti-feminist of me. Betty Friedan would be appalled.

 _Are you sure you're not a girl? Yoga? You must be very bendy._ My mind was filled with many lovely images of Edward in various yoga poses, naked. _What position is your favorite?_ Holy shit, had Rose come and taken my phone and typed that out? Oh well, it was staying. He could take it whatever way he wanted, though it'd be great if he took it in the filthiest way possible.

_Words cannot express how apologetic I am for insulting your hair. Please send it my sincerest apologies and the request that it not revolt. Bride of Frankenstein hair is unacceptable for a millionaire. If you were a bazillionaire, people wouldn't care what you looked like and you could eat that extra cheese. Get to work on that._

_Is your nutritionist scary? Maybe you should send the psychic. Better yet, send the yoga instructor, especially if it's a guy. Then I can see just what kind of moves you have._

_Do you doubt that I'd go to the right places? And here I thought I might have already had an effect, even without the bite. Maybe I should start doing yoga myself._ Take that, Cullen. Start imagining me all bendy.

_How shall I make it up to you? I wouldn't want to lose someone whose ass I can kick so easily, so I'll do anything I can to keep you around. I like to win. Your turn, Not-so-Rich Boy_

Okay, so I'd asked his favorite position, asked if I'd given him a hard-on and told him I enjoyed kicking his ass. Not a bad days work, if I did say so myself. I played the word lone off of peeked. I had been a lone person for awhile now, but I didn't feel so alone right now. I pocketed my phone and hopped up to head to the computer. Suddenly Betty Freidan didn't look so bad.


	6. Beery

"Bella, are you ready?"

I grabbed my wallet and my iPhone and hurried into the living room where Alice was tapping her foot impatiently. I raised a brow at her.

"Since when are you ever ready before I am?"

She laughed and tossed her head. "Since tonight! I have the only hot date with Edward Cullen that I can have, at least for now!"

Her confidence killed me. I mean, sure, I was able to send off ridiculously provocative texts to my Edward but I never dared allowed myself to dream that he'd sweep in from Hollywood and rescue me from my boring scholastic existence. Okay, well I did briefly before I went to write the Betty Friedan paper but I'd felt a little guilty about it. Maybe. Not really. I'd felt that I should feel guilty for it, at least.

"Rose said he's sending you poems." How fucking ridiculous was that? I mean, he was well read so maybe he read poetry, which would actually be kind of cool. But it wouldn't be cool for him to send poems to some girl that he'd only been talking to for a few days. Especially love poems.

Alice squealed and dug in her purse to get her phone. "I've been dying to show you but I was afraid it would make you mad." She bit her lip. "You don't hate me for this, right? I mean, if you do, I can stop talking to him, if you want."

She didn't much sound like she wanted to do that. I toyed briefly with telling her that I wanted her to stop but seriously, what kind of bitch would I be to do that? What if she really was talking to Edward and he saw what an amazing person she was? We'd been best friends for eighteen years. I wouldn't throw that away for Edward Cullen, no matter how incredible he was.

I smirked and held out my hand. "Let me see it, you freak. I could never hate you."

"Really?" She threw her arms around me, squeezing me hard.

"Really," I choked out. She giggled and released me. "Would you hate me if I was talking to him?" I held my breath, waiting for her answer.

Her gray eyes widened and she shook her head vehemently. "Of course not! I'd be super jealous but I would be totally happy for you too. Then I'd beg you to make him introduce me to Leo! Or Ryan Reynolds!"

I snorted. Of course Alice could replace Edward with any of a dozen hot male movie stars. That was the difference between us. Edward was it for me, celebritywise anyway. I wasn't foolish enough to rule out real guys in the hopes that one day Edward would be mine, even if we were talking now. At least I hoped I wasn't that ridiculous. Mike didn't count. I'd ruled him out years ago.

"Just give me your phone, weirdo."

She forked it over and I opened her WWF app. I did my damndest not to laugh at the ridiculous StevenSteele name and opened up their game. She was kicking his ass even more than I was kicking my Edward's ass.

"Nice score."

She giggled. "Zebra, triple word score."

I nodded and opened their message box. Holy shit had they yammered a lot. I thought Edward and I were getting downright chatty but we had nothing on these two.

_Alice is a cool name. Reminds me of the cartoon._

_Yeah, my mom was a real Lewis Carroll fan._

_Who?_

_Oh, that's the writer of the story Alice in Wonderland. You didn't know that?_

_Sure, I knew, I was just joking!_

As if. Edward Cullen absolutely knew who Lewis Carroll was, I'd bet money on that fact. Who was this idiot? And what the hell?

"Were you two online at the same time?"

She grinned and did a little dance. "Yeah, we meet every night at 7 PM and chat. I'm gonna ask for his number soon, it would be way easier to text."

I raised a brow. "You think he'll give it to you?"

"Of course he will, silly! He adores me!"

I skimmed some more of their chat.

_You seem way cooler than the girls I usually meet._

_Thank you! That's super sweet of you! I'm sure you know tons of girls. Since you know my name, now, what should I call you?_

_How about we stick with Steven Steele? My mom told me I shouldn't ever give my name out to strangers. Even though I feel like I know you already, I think I'll wait awhile before revealing myself._

Oh my God, he was twelve. Alice was totally talking to a little kid and thinking he was Edward. There was no way that this guy was an adult, let alone Edward Cullen.

_Revealing yourself? I like the sound of that! I guess you can have your secret identity for now! I wouldn't want to get you in trouble, unless you wanted me to!_

And Alice was hitting on the twelve-year-old. Any minute now that Chris Hanson guy would be knocking on our door to arrest her for child pornography or whatever. This was horrible.

_That's cool. I'll be my very own super hero._

_There's a role you should play. I bet you'd look great in tights._

I bit back a groan as Alice smiled proudly at me. "Isn't it wonderful?"

"It's something else." Something horrible and terrible and potentially illegal.

_Hey, I came across this poem today and it made me think of you:_

_She walks in beauty, like the night  
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;  
And all that's best of dark and bright  
Meet in her aspect and her eyes_

_You make my day brighter, Alice. I really like you._

_Omg! You read poetry! How sexy is that? I really like you too, Steven Steele!_

Lord Byron? Really? Well, maybe he wasn't twelve if he was reading Byron. But he was not Edward Cullen, that much was certain.

"Lord Byron, huh? Nice." What else could I say?

"He's so smart!" Her eyes were dreamy and she held her hands to her heart.

Smart? Really? He'd said cool about 50 times and he didn't know who wrote Alice in Wonderland. But he did know Lord Byron, or at least how to look up a love poem. Who was this guy?

"Well, we'd better get going if we're going to meet the girls at Anthony's before the movie."

"Hell, yes! I need some pizza, stat!"

We took Alice's Volvo to Anthony's. Jess and Angela already had a table, thankfully. I didn't want to be late for the movie.

I slid into chair next to Jessica and she smacked my hand. "What in the hell, Jess? What was that for?"

She narrowed her brown eyes at me. "That was for ditching the party before I got there and leaving me to fend off Mike Newton by myself."

"Oh." I giggled. I couldn't help it. "Sorry about that."

She smacked me again. "Yeah, sure seems like you're sorry!"

"I am, a little. But, better you than me, you know what I mean?"

Jess glared and then joined the rest of us in laughing. "Okay, I'd totally have done the same to you if I'd been first to get there."

"Exactly! How are you?"

She groaned and stretched her arms over her head, her t-shirt rising a little to show her tanned skin. Jessica hit the tanning bed once a week. She was going to die of skin cancer or look like that old lady in _There's Something About Mary_ in five years.

"I'm starving, but good. Did you get started on that paper?" Jess was in Feminist Lit with me, unfortunately for her.

"Yeah, it's gonna blow." She nodded emphatically and I turned my attention to Angela.

"How's it goin, Ang?"

"No complaints."

"How's Ben?"

Her dark eyes lit up when I asked about her boyfriend. "He's great!" She glanced around and lowered her voice. "I have a feeling that he's going to propose soon."

"What?" Alice shrieked. Angela shushed her. "How do you know?" Alice was so excited she was practically bouncing in her chair.

"I caught him going through my phone. He claimed he was just going to call to order some Chinese but when I looked at it, he'd been going through my contact list and my parent's number was highlighted."

"That's awesome! Oh, I hope he does!"

Angela and Ben had been dating for nearly two years, so it was entirely possible. They were already like an old married couple. "That's great, Ang."

"Maybe he was just looking for the number for the Chinese place in your contacts," Jessica suggested. Alice shot her a nasty look and Angela's pale cheeks colored with embarrassment.

"Jess! Why do you have to rain on her parade?" I was the biggest cynic of the bunch but I wasn't about to tell Angela that Ben could have been looking for a number for dinner, or checking to see if she was cheating on him like I should have done with my beloved dick of an ex, just like I wasn't going to tell Alice she was probably hitting on a child. Though I should. Could I get arrested for an accessory after the fact? Child endangerment or something? I should ask my dad. Then again, he'd want to know why I wanted to know and that might open a can of worms I wasn't ready to deal with.

"What? I'm just saying he could have been looking for anything! I don't want you to be disappointed, Angela."

Angela nodded and took a sip of her soda. "You could be right." The light was gone from her eyes and I hated that.

"Ang, every single person that's seen you and Ben together knows that you're getting married someday. If he doesn't ask now, he'll ask at some point. It's a sure thing."

Jess started to open her mouth and I kicked her underneath the table. Angela's smiled returned.

"Thanks, Bella. I really love him, you know?"

I felt a little pang in my heart. I'd really thought I loved Tyler too and where had that gotten me? Then again, I'd never fantasized about him proposing, which was a good thing since he was engaged to El Preggo.

"I know. And he loves you too."

She smiled and thanked me. The waitress appeared and we ordered a large pepperoni and mushroom pizza to split.

"Gotta save room for some popcorn!" Alice pointed out.

"I can't wait to see this movie. Edward Cullen is so fucking hot," Jess said, fiddling with her straw wrapper.

My hands tensed under the table. Not her too.

"Yeah, he is!" Alice grinned and I braced myself for her to announce to the girls that she was playing WWF with him. Surprisingly, she didn't.

"I can't wait to watch him ride that horse! It'll feed the imagination for what he'd look like riding me." Jessica smirked as she tied a knot in the white paper.

"As if!" Alice's face was positively thunderous and I feared that mine looked similar, so I pushed away from the table.

"I need to use the restroom."

I hurried into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. Yep, my eyes were hot with anger, which was ridiculous, really. There were millions of girls that wanted to fuck Edward Cullen. I wasn't any different.

"Get a grip, Bella. He doesn't belong to you." I'd do well to remember that. I took out my phone and opened my Words app. I didn't feel quite the same rush as I usually did when I saw that he'd played, but I was happy to see he'd responded already.

Razed, huh? Cullen throwing down the Z. He was gaining on me, marginally anyway. I leaned against the sink and clicked on the message box. I couldn't wait to see what he had to say.

**__My psychic said that a mystery girl would come into my life that would challenge my mind and certain other parts of my anatomy. She didn't tell me it would be via WWF, but I'm guessing you're the girl._ _ **

Damn right I am, Edward Cullen. You'll never meet a better challenge than me.

**__I am quite bendy, thank you very much. And I'd tell you my favorite position, but I need to know you a bit better first. I wouldn't want to corrupt an innocent mind or anything, though I doubt you possess one!_ _ **

I laughed out loud at that one. He damn well knew better than that already.

**__I'm happy to report that my hair has forgiven you for the insult and it managed to behave itself all day long, which might be a record for it. Perhaps you're a good influence on my hair, and a bad influence on the rest of me? How do you manage that, Sybil? Or should I call you Sally Field?_ _ **

Ha, he thought I had multiple personalities? I should introduce him to Alice.

**__Excuse me, but if anybody's going to show you my moves, it'll be me, not my yoga instructor, who happens to be a woman, or are you into that sort of thing?_ _ **

No, Edward, no girls for this girl. Rose was probably the hottest girl in the state and there was zero attraction.

**__Gouda Budda, I have all the faith in the world that you'd go to the right places. You already do. Which brings to mind a question I probably should have already asked. How old are you anyway? I don't want to end up on that To Catch a Predator show, even though it's you doing the corrupting here. Maybe you should be asking my age._ _ **

There! See, it was fate! I'd just been thinking about Chris Hanson and there Edward was referencing him. We were meant to be damn it!

_**_I like to win, too, and so far I feel like I am even though the score's rather lopsided in your favor. You want to make it up to me? Tell me who you are, beyond the cheese and the wit. I'll run out of cheese names sooner or later, so give me something else to play with. Your move, Gidget._ ** _

My heart was beating faster at reading those last few lines. He wanted to know me. Okay, Cullen, I'll show you mine if you show me yours.

_Of course I'm the girl. Or woman, if you want to be technical. To answer question number one, I'm twenty-two. Perfectly legal, so Chris Hanson won't be knocking on your door with cameras. That's kind of a shame, because then I'd get to see what you looked like, but I guess we couldn't play together in any kind of way if you were in jail. That would be a travesty. Same question to you. I don't want to get handcuffed either, at least not in that way._

I giggled at my response. Rose would be damn proud when I showed her that one tomorrow.

_I think I'm offended that you don't think I have an innocent mind. All I've talked about was cheese, fat and eating. That's all perfectly innocent. Though I suppose my handcuff comment above makes my argument moot. You're right. I'm a total perv, but we both know you like me that way._

He'd better. That wasn't going to change, especially if he was Edward Cullen. Oh, the fantasies I had! Maybe one day we could talk about them. Way down the line.

_What makes you think I have multiple personalities? Have I not been the same since comment one? Well, beyond the spaz thing, but you know, I was nervous since I was messaging a total stranger. Messaging, not massaging. Get your mind out of the gutter, Cartoon Boy!_

Or you know, join me in mine.

_I'm afraid I'm not looking for a female to show me the moves, so I guess I'll have to wait for you, if that's alright, of course. Then we'll see if I go to all the right places, kill two birds with one stone. Work for you?_

Me. Edward. Yoga. Yes please.

_So you want something else of mine to play with? You are a dirty boy, aren't you? I have no idea what you want to know, so I'll tell you that I'm a college senior. I'm looking to be a teacher, although the closer I get to graduating and heading to grad school, the further I am from being interested in being one. But, it's a little late to regret that now, isn't it? Got any hot teacher fantasies? That could be me._

_I'll also tell you that while my handle is definitely reflective of my love for cheese, it's reflective of something else as well. Can you figure it out? I'll give you more if you do. I showed you mine, now you show me yours._

"Bella, what in the hell are you doing? Pizza's on the table."

I jumped like I'd been caught pleasuring myself or something. "Sorry, I was looking at something on my phone."

Alice wrinkled her nose. "I can see that. Now wash your hands and eat. Edward is waiting!" With that she whirled out of the bathroom, the red door swishing shut behind her.

Not anymore he wasn't. Hopefully he liked what I gave him. I looked at the board and smiled. He left a triple word wide open. I played beery off his razed and fist pumped at my 30 point score.

I checked myself out in the mirror one more time and slid my phone back into my pocket. Time to put that Edward away and go stare at the actor Edward for awhile. I had both of them at my disposal today. I could grow used to that. Show me yours, Edward Cullen. Please.


	7. Queer

"This is so exciting!" Alice bounded into her row and sat in the dead center of the theater. She was bouncing up and down like a bunny on acid or something. I maintained my cool on the outside but I was just as excited as she was. I couldn't wait to see Edward in a role that would actually test his acting skills. Not that I remotely doubted them. He was the real deal and he'd win an Oscar one day to cement it, action star or not.

I gestured at Jess to go in next to her. She shot me a skeptical look but went in anyway, then Angela and then me. It was as far away as I could get from Alice without planting myself at the other end of the theater, which might be a bit obvious.

Angela had been quiet since Jessica rained on her proposal parade at the restaurant so I tried to bring her out of her shell. "Are you excited?"

She shrugged and smiled slightly. "Yeah, I guess. I mean, it's just a movie right? But it looks really good and everything."

How much did I love that she wasn't lusting after Edward the way the other two were? Then again, unlike the rest of us, she had a real boyfriend. It did tend to make a difference.

"Yeah, I've been anxious for this since word leaked that he'd signed on to do it."

Angela laughed. "I know. I've seen your copy of the book, remember?" Which one? I had three. The one I never touched that remained pristine on my bookshelf, the copy before movie rights were sold, and of course the battered copy that I'd need to replace someday soon. But that face! I just couldn't stop touching it.

"Oh shit!" Jessica's eyes got wide and she lowered down in her seat a little.

"What the hell? What's wrong with you?" I shot a glance at Angela who shrugged. Alice shook her head and dragged her fingers across her throat. What the fuck was that? Did she want to kill me now, before she even knew I was talking to my own Edward?

"Well, hello, Bella." Oh my hell, it couldn't be. Angela bit her lip and tried to keep from giggling at the look on my face. I glared at her and turned to my right and there he was. Mike Fucking Newton. What in the hell was he doing here? This was a chick flick for crying out loud. Did he have a date? And if he did, why was he sitting next to me?

"Mike. Um, what are you doing here?" I couldn't stop myself from asking. This made no sense. If this was a Steele movie, I would totally get it.

He grinned sheepishly and shrugged. "Well, a bunch of the guys came out to see that new super hero movie and I was going to see it too, but then I saw you all coming in here and thought I'd see what this was all about."

Oh, hell no. He wasn't horning in on my time with Edward Cullen and turning it into some sort of unplanned date.

"I got some popcorn!" he told me, thrusting the bag at me and managing to fling a couple of buttery pieces onto my jeans. Thanks, dickwad, I really wanted a fucking butter stain on my pants. "Sorry!" He reached over to brush at them and I knocked his hand away.

"I've got it." I didn't bother to try to hide my irritation this time. Would he ever get a fucking hint? I wiped the popcorn off and then grabbed the napkins he offered and wiped at my jeans, not that there was any point to that. I'd have to attack them with my stain stick when I got home.

"You do know this is a chick flick, right?"

Mike shrugged. "No big deal, I like all sorts of movies with the right company."

Damn it. "Jess is down there, I'm sure she'd love for you to say hi."

He looked at me and then glanced at Jessica. "Uh, yeah, I don't know about that."

"That's right, I heard you hit on her after I left last night."

"Oh, well, I don't know that that's what I did exactly…" He looked embarrassed and his cheeks got red.

I grinned at him. "That's cool. I think you two would make a great couple." I heard Jessica hiss the word "bitch" from where she was sitting but she was doing her best not to call attention to herself.

"Well, actually I was wondering if maybe you'd like to go out some time?" He said the words all in a rush, probably expecting me to interrupt him and run away like I did last time. Which I absolutely would have done were Edward Cullen not about to light up my movie screen with his glory in a few minutes. I would endure just about anything for him. Maybe even Mike Newton.

I sighed. It was time to lay it all out there. "Look, Mike, you're a great guy but…"

"Don't say no!" he interrupted, his cheeks flaming red now. What? You ask me out and I'm not allowed to say no? What fucking country are we in, because last time I checked this was America and I had free will.

"What did you just say?" I asked, my voice rising in disbelief.

"I mean, don't say no yet. Just, maybe think about it while we watch the movie? I won't bother you or anything." His very presence next to me would bother me a great deal, actually.

"Mike, don't you think…" he shushed me by pressing his finger over my lips. That was unfuckingcool. I considered biting him but then I might catch rabies or something.

"Get your finger off my lips," I demanded tightly. He removed it quickly.

"I'm sorry, Bella, but I'd really like you to think about it. I know that Ty was a dick and…"

"Mike, it's not about Tyler, but don't you see how weird this is? You were his roommate, for crying out loud. I really don't want to date my exes' best friend and roommate."

"We're not friends anymore," he insisted, shaking his head adamantly. "When he did you like that, I told him he was a fucking asshole and he never deserved you."

Well, that was actually kind of nice. "Thank you, but still…"

"Just think about it, okay?"

The lights dimmed and the previews came on and I didn't really want to talk to him any further anyway. I didn't say anything and shifted a little closer in my seat toward Angela, just in case he got any ideas about trying to touch me during the movie. I might forget it was Mike Newton next to me instead of Edward and let him cop a feel, which would not be cool.

Angela giggled and slipped her arm around me. I grinned and leaned into her. "You're my hero and if Ben doesn't marry you, I will."

"I'll hold you to that," she whispered back.

If Mike saw or heard, he didn't give any reaction. He just smiled and watched the preview. Maybe he wasn't a total tool, but I still didn't want to go out with him.

After twenty minutes of previews, it was finally time. The first image of the movie was a rodeo ring, with a steer kicking up dust and then there was Edward, holding onto the bull, a look of concentration on his face, his muscles straining. Holy hell, was he fucking hot. He wore blue jeans, a blue button down and a cowboy hat. Yes and please.

For the next two hours, I forgot that Mike was sitting next to me. He probably could have molested me and I wouldn't have noticed because Edward was that incredible and that captivating up on the screen. I was blown away. I laughed and cried and raged and celebrated. It was a beautiful thing. When the lights came up, I looked over at Angela and saw that she was wiping a few tears away. Alice had a pile of used napkins on the seat next to her. Jess looked normal. Mike was…Jesus Christ, Mike was sleeping. That just proved my point. He could never date me.

Alice started to say something and I put my fingers to my lips and signaled to Mike. She gave me a thumbs up sign and headed out the row the other way. Jess and Angela were quick to follow and I glanced at him one more time before sneaking away. It only postponed our discussion but I wasn't in the mood to deal with him after being exposed to Edward's beauty and brilliance for two hours. I likely wouldn't be very kind.

"That was so good!" Alice chirped when we got to the parking lot. I kept looking behind us to make sure that Mike wasn't up and following.

"It really was," Angela agreed.

"The sex scene was hot," Jess said. I glared at her.

"Is that all you noticed? Jeez." Alice shook her head. "He was gorgeous up there. I can't wait to…" she broke off and shot me a look. "See it again." Good cover, Alice.

"Seriously, maybe you should go back there and wake up Mike, Jess. You two were made for one another," I told her snidely. "Edward broke my heart." And yes, he was fucking hot in the sex scene. That went without saying. But he was so much more than that.

"Yeah, yeah, it was good, but when I get it on DVD, I'm totally skipping to that scene and watching it over and over!" Jess did a booty shake. Alice took the opportunity to smack it. "Ow! Damn, Ali, I didn't know you were into spanking."

Alice rolled her eyes. "I'm into a lot of things you don't know about."

"Like what?"

Was she going to tell her about Edward now?

Alice shrugged. "That's for me to know! Here's my car. See you guys later?"

"Yeah, come on Ang, let's get home. I've got a hot date with my vibrator." Angela made a face but waved goodbye and followed Jessica to her car.

"Good riddance. Why are we friends with her?" Alice asked as we got into the car.

I sighed. "Because she's funny, sometimes. And because she shares notes with me when I skip a class."

"Well, that explains why you're stuck with her, not me." I poked Alice and she giggled as she started the car. "I can't wait to tell Edward how good the movie was."

Here we go again. "Did you tell him you were seeing it?"

"No, not yet! I wanted to surprise him, feel him out a little."

Just don't feel him up, Alice. You'll go to jail for sure. "That's a good plan."

"Yeah." Silence reigned as we made the short drive home. It was late and I was tired. I also didn't want to talk about Edward with her, either the onscreen or offscreen version. I just wanted to remember how fantastic he was in the movie.

Alice pulled up in front of our complex and we headed home. "Thanks for driving tonight."

She yawned and smiled. "No problem. I'll see you in the morning. I'm wiped." And so she should be, after her night of debauchery with Jared.

"Night."

I went into my room and changed into my UW t-shirt that I liked to wear to bed. I updated my Facebook status, letting everybody know that Wild at Heart was a fantastic movie, and then I tweeted it as well. I hoped he had a fantastic opening weekend. Our theater had been full, so that was a good sign.

I closed my laptop and set it on the night stand next to my phone. Maybe I should check and see if he answered me already. It had been about four hours. It was possible.

Alice, Jess, Eric, Lauren and yes! There he was! God damn it! I'd been so busy crowing about my triple word score last turn that I hadn't noticed there was another one wide open on the other side. Edward had and played jibed for 60 damn points. He was within 35 now. That's what I got for getting too worked up in our conversation and not paying attention to the game.

Shake it off, Bella. It's more important to see what he had to say. I hit the message button and there were his words. Perfect to go to bed to if I did say so myself.

**__I knew you were too witty and interesting to be illegal, at least I hoped that was the case. I was guessing that you didn't want me to go to jail, because then you couldn't play with me anymore. And we both know you really want to!_ _ **

Oh Edward, I definitely do. And I absolutely love that you find me witty and interesting. So are you, sexy man.

**__I'm 25, so you can save the handcuffs for more interesting reasons than to arrest me. I'd happily assume the position if you asked in the right way (and of course I mean my favorite position, which you're still wondering about I've no doubt)._ _ **

Holy shit, I was going to have to get out my own toy tonight. I was turning into Jessica. At least I had a good reason though. Edward, handcuffs, positions…gah. I was going to die!

_**_Clearly I do enjoy you being a perv, now that I know you're allowed to be legally. It's nice not to have to censor myself. You can't imagine how many things I'd love to say that I'm never allowed to._ ** _

Hmm, well isn't that interesting? Might that be because it'd be published worldwide and you'd get savaged on the news and blogs and everywhere else? You can be honest with me, Edward. I'll never judge you.

_**_I like your messaging and I've no doubt I'd like your massaging, were I ever to get the pleasure of your company. I know you don't have multiple personalities, but sometimes it feels like I do. Do you ever feel like the real you is a stranger? Sorry, that was deeper than I meant to go for a random conversation with a new WWF friend. I guess I'm just feeling a bit introspective today._ ** _

My heart went out to him. It must be hard, putting on that public persona. With every line he typed, he sounded more and more like he could be Edward Cullen. Had I really somehow managed to find him?

**__Enough of that! So, you'd like me to teach you some yoga? I must admit, the idea of that does have a certain appeal. And I think you're heading to the right places again. How do you manage to do that with only a few words, Cheese Girl?_ _ **

I am super talented, Edward Cullen. And I absolutely want to show you.

**__I'll have you know that hot teacher fantasies are a staple for any hot blooded male in the world. And now I have one, or someone who's soon to be one, on the other end of the iPhone? Yeah, you're definitely going to the right places. Can you combine it with the library fantasy and put your hair up in a bun maybe? And some glasses?_ _ **

So fucking hot. Yes, yes I can do that for you, Edward. Rose needed to get back from her date pronto.

**__So BluBell22 has to do with more than just your love for the best cheese in the world? Well, using my master deduction skills, I'd guess that the 22 refers to your age, which we've already established. Do you have blue eyes? Blue hair? Do you like the color blue? It just happens to be my favorite. Or maybe it's the Bell that would give me more. Do you play the bells in the church choir? No, I really can't see that one._ _ **

I laughed out loud at that suggestion. Me in a church choir? God would strike the building down.

_**_Bell. Bells. Bellisima. Bella, which means beautiful. Are you trying to tell me you're beautiful? I think I already suspected that. Am I close in any way? You've stumped me, Blue Cheese Girl. I'm off to lick my wounds and play a little Van Halen. I seem to be in the mood for "Hot for Teacher" for some odd reason! I expect you're impressed by my 60 point word? I'm catching up! Your turn!_ ** _

Oh Edward. How cute are you? And you did get it; you just don't know it yet. If I tell you, will you tell me? Only one way to find out. I flexed my fingers and got to it.

_It would break my heart if I didn't get to play with you. After all, you've got pretty good taste. You find me witty and interesting, so clearly you've got some decent taste._

_So now you're teasing me with your favorite position but still not giving it up? That's okay. I'll get out the handcuffs and see what I can coax out of you when you're at my mercy. I think you'll submit to my interrogation tactics very quickly._

My father would get out his own, non-fun handcuffs and slap them on me if he could see what I was typing. Oh well, what Daddy doesn't know won't hurt me!

_You never need to worry about censoring yourself with me. Be the you that you claim you can't always be and I'll be me and we'll have fun together without judgment. Does that work for you? And you can get deep with me anytime, and in any way you like. See? No judgment!_

_In case you haven't noticed, I'm quite talented with my words, which is why I'm still kicking your ass in the game even with your 60 point word. I do congratulate you, though. If my words are doing good things to your body, well, we'll just consider that my contribution to your yoga regime until you come up here and teach me some. Okay?_

_I happen to have a very cute pair of wire-rimmed glasses and long brown hair that is perfect for putting up in a bun. Shall I use a pencil and then pull it out with one tug and let it all fall down while I shake my head in slow motion and a button just happens to come undone on my white see-through blouse? Is that how that fantasy goes? You'll have to refresh my memory._

Oh yeah, Rose was going to die.

_Wrong on the eyes and the hair, thank you. I'm 22, not 82 and not Katy Perry. I think blue haired teachers would probably go over well with the students, though, so maybe I should consider it. And yes, that's where the 22 comes from. You got the other part right as well. While I think I'm decent looking, I wouldn't go around declaring myself to be beautiful, but my parents had no such qualms when it came to my name. Got it now, Hercule Poirot? And if you're going to use my name, do I get to use yours? What say you?_

That would do it for now. I popped back to our game and decided it was time to make use of my Q now. I played queer off his jibed, double word score for 26. Back to a 61 point lead, just like I liked it. I closed the app and shut off my light. Maybe tomorrow would bring me his name. I had the age right, so chalk another one up for me. Tomorrow I'd find out even more. Now it was time for sleep and dreams of sexy, bendy bodies and green, green eyes.


	8. Leech

I woke up way too early on Sunday morning but I was anxious to see if Skeletor had responded to my messages. Sadly, my blurry eyed phone check showed he hadn't played yet, so I shut off my phone and rolled out of bed, stumbling into the kitchen to put on the coffee. A quick shower and a cup of coffee later and I felt more functional.

Sunday mornings were generally pretty quiet around our place, so I went back into my room and flipped on the TV. Why were cartoons so damn lame now? Where were all the Scooby Doo's and well, the He-Mans? I didn't know what these weird robot things were but they sucked. I scowled and went over to my DVDs. If I couldn't talk to Edward this morning, the least I could do was watch him. I put _Strong as Steele_ into the DVD player and got comfortable in my bed. I should be working on my Chaucer homework, but I really wasn't in the mood.

God, Edward was buff in this movie. His black t-shirt stretched across his hard chest as he flexed and fought his way through two continents. I wanted to touch him. Just once. Was that honestly too much to ask? I'd been a pretty decent person in my life so far. I mean, sure, I could probably find time to volunteer at an animal shelter or something, but I wasn't a bad person.

Okay, so I'd left Mike sleeping in a theater, but I hadn't punched him for interfering in my night, right? And I deserved something good for all the crap that Tyler had brought down on me this year. Just one touch and I would be happy. One touch while he was naked. And I was naked. Though, just one touch would be insulting to him, wouldn't it? I wouldn't want to offend him, so maybe I could touch him a lot, that one time. And he could touch me, because that would only be fair. And if we were naked touching, then we should probably be naked kissing. And then…

"Stop jerking off to Edward Cullen and join me in the real world." I started when Rose threw herself down on my bed, scaring me out of my daydream. Fuck, was I touching myself? I looked down frantically and no, happily I was not. It had been close though.

"Fuck you, perv, I wasn't masturbating. And I don't know about you, but I don't have anything to jerk off."

She laughed and situated herself on the right side of my bed, leaning back against my pillow. She was in shorts and a Sig Ep t-shirt.

"You could have something to jerk off, if you wanted. I heard Mike Newton stopped by the theater last night." Her lavender eyes were twinkling.

I groaned. "Don't remind me. He just sits down next to me, asks me out, tells me I can't say no and to think about it for awhile, then falls asleep! During an Edward Cullen movie! That should be illegal or something."

Rose snorted and crossed her long, tan legs. "What a douche. Did you know he called Brady to ask for a ride home from the theater? Since he ditched his friends and you ditched him, he was stuck there."

I felt a twinge of guilt. "Did he ruin your night?"

Rose shook her head, her golden hair tumbling over her shoulders. "No way. We didn't pick that loser up. Brady made one of the freshmen go get him. It's good to be the frat president."

That wasn't so bad then. Maybe I should feel like a bitch for deserting Mike, but I hadn't invited him to sit next to me, had I?

"How was your date then?"

Rose smiled. "It was great. He took me to Luc's and then we went for a drive."

"Where you steamed up the windows?" I asked, giggling.

She elbowed me. "No, actually, we kissed a few times but it was more like a real first date. He was a perfect gentleman. He said he wanted to treat me the way he should have from the start."

I raised a brow. "And you were cool with that?"

Rose chuckled. "For now. I'm sure I'll jump him again down the line, but being pampered for awhile isn't necessarily a bad thing. I can always pop in an Edward Cullen DVD to get my rocks off."

I glared at her and she threw back her head and howled with laughter. "God, you're so easy! So, how is Romeo anyway? Papa Smurf? What the hell is his name again?"

I sighed and picked up my phone. "You know perfectly well it's Skeletor17. And he's amazing. Here, read for yourself." I thrust the phone at her and waited as she pulled up the app and opened my game with Edward.

"Isabella Swan! This is amazing! Did you just threaten to cuff him and interrogate his fine ass? And tell him he'd like it? Letting out that inner dominatrix, I love it!"

I felt my cheeks heat but damned if a part of me wasn't proud of her reaction. "Well, it seemed fitting."

Rose laughed. "I'm seeing a new side of you and I love it. We need to bring this girl out to play more often, or will only your mystery man do for such things?"

I shrugged. "He's different. And it's easier to talk to him. I guess because he's not anywhere nearby to judge me for it."

Rose shook her head vehemently. "No guy in his right mind would judge you for letting that side out to play, Bella. You're fun, smart, playful and hot as fuck in these messages. If this guy isn't already crazy about you, he soon will be. Hell, I might switch teams if you put on that white see-through blouse and twisted your hair up in that bun."

She was crazy, crazy but awesome. "I already told him I don't swing that way," I told her with a grin.

"I don't know, we'd be pretty hot together, Bella." She put her hand on my leg and giggled when I smacked it off. "And imagine the excuses you could give Newton then."

I rolled my eyes. "He'd think that was hot and probably ask to watch."

"True, so very true. It probably still wouldn't dissuade him either. He wants you bad enough to sit through a chick flick on a non-date. Imagine what he'd do if you actually went out with him? I bet you could get him to try on women's underwear and shit like that."

"Ew! Rose! I don't want to think about Mike in any kind of underwear."

She scrunched up her face. "Me either. Forget I said that."

"Forget it? I'm probably going to have nightmares about it tonight."

"No, you won't." She grinned at me confidently.

I gaped at her. "How in the hell do you know what I will and won't dream about?"

"Easy. I'm taking you to see _Wild at Heart_ tonight to make up for missing it last night. If anybody can drive that image out of your head, it's Edward Cullen."

That was absolutely true. "You really want to go tonight?"

"Of course. Just you and me. Alice has some study group tonight I think and even if she doesn't, we'll lie about where we're going. How was she last night?"

I grinned. "Not too bad, but then I sat as far away from her as I could. God was clearly punishing me for that fact by having Newton sit next to me instead. It was a hard call as to which would have been worse. She did let me read her messages from her Edward and uh…"

"He's a kid," Rose supplied.

"Yeah! I mean, how does she not notice? There's no way that is a 25 year-old man, at least not one with a brain in his head."

"You know Ali. She sees what she wants to see. I tried to tell her but she got all pissed off. She'll figure it out, eventually."

"That or she'll get arrested for corrupting a minor," I supplied.

"Calling Chief Swan, calling Chief Swan." Rose laughed. "Maybe we could get her off on the fact that she can pass for a minor herself she's so tiny."

I snorted. "It's worth a shot. As long as we're not accessories, I'm all good."

"Well, we know she's not playing with Edward, but it's looking more and more like you are." Rose studied me closely. "Do you think he'll tell you his name?"

I shrugged and plucked at my comforter. "I don't know. I mean, he has no reason not to, really. It's not like there aren't other Edwards in the world. But maybe he's afraid that I'm a psycho stalker and he won't want me to know it's him."

"Well, time will tell, I guess. Whoever he is, I like him," Rose said, stilling my hand. "He's good for you and he makes you happy. Even if he's not Edward Cullen, he's somebody worth knowing."

That was true. And I was actually sorry that I'd asked his name. What if he wasn't Edward? Would I stop talking to him? Would he stop being sexy and smart and fun if his name was Myron? Well, yes, if his name was Myron he would automatically not be sexy, that was just a rule. But what if he was Josh? Or David? Did it matter?

"You think so?" I asked softly.

Rose squeezed my hand. "I know so. I see the look on your face when you talk about him. And I'll tell you something, Bella."

"What?" I looked at her nervously.

"You never looked like this when you talked about Tyler. You glow when you talk about this guy. You need to get his name, get his number and then get his body."

I laughed. "He's two states away, Rose. I highly doubt we'll be joining you and Brady at Luc next weekend."

She shook her head. "You never know. If he's Edward, he's got money. Flying in to take you to dinner wouldn't be such a stretch."

I snorted. "I'm sure he could fit me right in between films and interviews."

"With messages like these?" She gestured at the phone. "There's no doubt in my mind that he would."

I blushed and picked it up. "It's easy to be free with him."

"I can see that. And I love that you told him that he could be himself with you. I never really thought about how hard it must be to be a celebrity. It's not all parties and hot chicks, huh?"

The thought of Edward with hot chicks made me sick but I nodded. "You always have to be PC, I guess. I'd hate that."

Rose laughed. "I'd fail miserably at that."

I grinned at the thought of Rosalie Hale, movie star. "You'd tell them about what a bad kisser your co-star was and what a bitch your main rival was."

Rose struck a pose with her hand over her forehead. "I'd be an epic star. Tell movie boy to hook me up once you know it's him. Hollywood wouldn't know what hit them."

I laughed and nudged her with my foot. "You'd be refreshing, that's for sure."

She smirked and got off my bed. "You know it. I've gotta go study for my Anatomy test for awhile. Movie's at seven. Does that work?" I nodded and she grinned. "Okay, resume your sexy times with Mr. Cullen. I'll pretend the vibrating noise is your electric toothbrush."

I tossed my pillow at her as she laughed and ducked out of my room. Pervert. I was not going to play, at least not right now. Maybe later, after seeing Edward in that cowboy hat again. That, along with his words, had done the deed last night, after all.

Xoxoxoxox

I spent the afternoon working on my Chaucer paper. Alice stuck her head in to say hi and bye when she went out to meet her study group, so Rose and I didn't have to lie about our plans. I took a shower and got dressed, then sat down on the couch to wait for Rose. I could hear her shower going so she was getting around at least.

I opened my WWF app for the tenth time this afternoon. Okay, so I'd been a bit obsessive about it but I was dying to see if he'd answer my question. This time, finally, he'd played. I quickly opened it and saw he'd played mean off of my beery. Was he calling me mean for using queer the play before? I hoped he didn't think I was a homophobe. That would suck. I quickly opened his messages.

**Well, hello, Bella. It's nice to officially meet you.**

Why did my heart start pounding at just him typing my name? That was ridiculous. Imagine if he actually said it aloud? I'd probably have a heart attack and die, rendering everything moot. Smooth, Bella.

**I do think it's a good thing that I get to know the name of the woman I'm currently playing with. I was never much for nameless hook ups, especially not with beautiful, brown-eyed brunettes that let me live the librarian fantasy. I'm not going to lie, that one had me reaching for the lotion. You do go to all the right places, Cheese Girl. Hot damn.**

Oh my God, he'd jerked off to my image. Well, not my image, but the one I'd painted. That was really fucking hot.

**And you not only threw the librarian thing at me, but also handcuffs? Do you want to cause me physical pain? What are you going to do to help me relieve it? Nothing but tease me some more, I guess. Good thing I love it.**

I love it, too. And I love you. At least I could. God, you're awesome.

**You can interrogate me anytime and I promise that I'll tell you the actual truth. You don't have to torture me, although if you want to, I'm more than willing to endure, provided it's sweet, sexy torture. S &M is a cool song but not my lifestyle choice.**

I giggled. No worries there, Edward. My dominatrix side is pretty fucking tame, that much is for sure.

**You are very talented with your words, in the game and out of it. It's very rare for a girl to affect me the way that you do, and I truly hope that you are indeed a woman and not some guy playing with me, but I'm going to trust that you are exactly who you say you are, my Bella.**

Your Bella? Yes indeed. That is me. I am her. You can have me.

**Thank you for letting me be me. And if I'm going to be me, I guess you should know who I am, huh? Fair is fair. My name is Edward. Your move, Bella. I showed you mine, what are you going to show me next?**

Holy shit! Holy hell! Holy fuck! It was Edward! I mean, yes, there was probably more than one Edward in the world, but an Edward that fit all the criteria to be Edward Cullen and happened to use his favorite cartoon character and number as his screen name? What were the odds? I let out a little scream and Rose threw her door open.

"What the fuck is wrong?" She charged out of the bathroom clad in only a towel, looking like she was about to attack whomever was causing me to scream.

"It's not, there's not…oh my God, just read this!" I thrust my phone at her.

She took it and let out a scream of her own when she finished reading. "It's him! It has to be! Holy shit, Bella, you did it! You're talking to Edward Cullen!"

She jumped up and down and I laughed. "Rose, you're looking like Alice right now, plus if you're not careful, we'll be testing my potential lesbianism because you'll be flashing me any second now."

She smirked and secured her towel. "I might make you forget all about Edward Cullen."

I shook my head and grabbed my phone back from her. "No, I don't think that's possible."

"So true! What are you going to say?"

I laughed. "I don't know. Nice to meet you too, Edward? I can't exactly say, hey, are you Edward Cullen, can I?"

"Well, you could, but let's be more subtle than that. Tell him you're going to see _Wild at Heart_ tonight. See what he has to say to that. I bet he'll love that you're off seeing his movie, thinking that you're talking to some random Edward that isn't him."

That was an idea. "Okay, you go get ready. I can't talk to him while you're watching."

She laughed and shook her head. "That makes zero sense, but whatever. I don't want to fuck up your texting magic. You're showing me as soon as I get done though."

"Goes without saying." I waved her off and sat back on the couch. I felt like I was shaking. Unbelievable. He was Edward. Likely THE Edward. This was awesome.

Okay, here we go.

_Well, it's nice to have a name to go with the words, especially if I'm causing little Edward to stand up and take notice. It's very nice to meet you, Edward. Do you have a preferred brand of lotion? I'd be happy to buy you a bottle. It's the very least I could do._

Yes, I had just offered to aid in his jerking off even more. Man I had issues.

_I was never one for one nighters myself and the one time that I did, well, let's just say that undoubtedly not-so-little Edward would be laughing at what I encountered. Hmm, was that wrong of me to share with you? It doesn't feel wrong, but you tell me._

I didn't want to hear about his romantic foibles, but then again, I did want to hear that he wasn't dating anyone right now. Which was ridiculous, because he was in California and I was in Washington and he was Edward Cullen and I was Bella Swan and nothing more would be happening than us talking like this. But I still didn't want him to be dating anyone. It was irrational but true.

_I'm not going to lie, I enjoy teasing you and I know you enjoy it too. But I'd never want to cause you physical pain. How might I help you relieve it? Offer to tutor you after school to help you get your grades, or other things, up?_

_I guess if you're not into S &M then I can't brandish my yard stick at you. How about you brandish yours at me? _

Ha! I can't believe I said that. But I really did want to see it. And touch it. And lick it. And ride it like he rode that horse in the movie. Le sigh.

_I'll keep my torture sweet and sexy. I promise you won't have any complaints._

_I assure you, Edward, that I am a girl. I'd send you a picture if I could. Maybe someday when we know each other better we could exchange email addresses or something. Not that that would prove anything, I suppose, since I could send you any girl's picture, but I promised you could be real with me and I'll be real with you. The real me is a bit shyer than this me, but I say the things to you that I rarely say to anybody else. So I guess I'm freer with you than anyone else as well. That makes us even, right?_

There, he got a little heavy with me; I got a little heavy with him. Fair is fair as he'd said.

_I'm off to see another Edward on the big screen for the night, but I'll be thinking of you when I do. What are you thinking of now? Talk to you tomorrow, I hope._

I played the word leech off of chug. A 50 point lead. We'd see what his next move was.

Rose came out of her bedroom and held her hand out to me. I gave her my phone and she read my responses with a smile.

"Very good, Bella. You just might be screwing that gorgeous movie star yet. Let's go see what you're getting into." God, I hoped so. I slid my phone back into my pocket. Maybe I'd hear from Edward while I was watching him. So surreal, but somehow it worked.


	9. Heart

"Where were you guys?" Rose and I stopped in the living room and saw Alice sitting on the recliner, looking like she was ready to pop. She had on her Victoria's Secret pink pajamas and some fuzzy slippers. She could pass for twelve if she wanted to right now, which I guess was good since her Edward was clearly that age.

I glanced at Rose who shrugged. "We were at the movies." She kicked off her shoes and headed to the couch. I followed along, though I was anxious to get back into my room to see if Edward had responded to me

"Did you see _Wild at Heart_ again without me?" Her lip poked out in a pout. Yeah, she and junior high Edward would get along quite well.

"You weren't here. It wasn't like we purposely went without you." How Rose kept a straight face when she told that lie was beyond me. The woman was talented. "It was a last second decision." Sure it was.

"Damn study group," Alice muttered.

I rolled my eyes. "Weren't you excited two minutes ago? What was that all about?"

"Oh yeah!" she squealed, bouncing in her chair yet again. Her mood changes were lightning quick. Maybe she had multiple personalities. It might explain a lot. "Guess what?"

Rose crossed her long legs at the ankle, propping them on the coffee table. "I'm going to guess it's Edward related, am I right?" Her voice and face were so deadpan that I couldn't help but laugh.

Alice was oblivious, naturally. She'd probably still be clueless when Chris Henson and his cameras showed up. "Of course! Oh, you guys, it's so awesome! He gave me his number!"

Rose and I exchanged glances. "And you talked to him?" she demanded. Seriously, if she spoke to the guy, she'd know damn well that he wasn't Edward Cullen. The high pitched girly voice would give it away.

"Well, no. We're just texting, for now. I said I would respect his boundaries on that. You know he probably has important meetings and stuff all day long anyway. I wouldn't want our first chat to be in front of an audience." The way her face glowed when she said that made me think it was a blatant lie. If Alice were talking to Edward Cullen, she'd want it broadcast on every network simultaneously.

Rose snorted. "So he gave you his number and told you not to call? What in the hell was the purpose of that?"

"So we could text, obviously! We've been texting for the last 2 hours. He's so dreamy!"

Oh my hell. "Dreamy how?" I asked. May as well. She was going to tell me anyway.

"He sent me more poems! Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely, and more temperate." Shakespeare. So he'd graduated up to the Bard, had he? Maybe he was in high school at least. That was slightly less creepy. Only slightly though.

"Alice, why in the hell would Edward Cullen be ripping off poems and texting them to you?" Rose asked skeptically.

"Because he likes me, duh. He already says he's never met a girl like me and he thinks that I might be his soul mate."

"Did you hit your head recently?" Rose leaned forward and trained her eyes on Alice closely. "How many fingers am I holding up?" She held up three and waved them right in Alice's face.

"Stop that!" Alice batted them away impatiently. "Why do you think something's wrong with me?"

"Maybe because Edward Cullen has better things to do than send poems to some random girl he just met?" Rose asked. "And you're normally not this brainless, so I'm concerned. Did Jared buck you into the ceiling last night?"

I couldn't help it and I laughed my ass off at the image of Jared sending Alice flying mid-sex. He was pretty big and she was pretty tiny and yeah, that could totally happen.

Alice scowled at both of us and shook her head. "Don't bring him up when I'm talking about the love of my life, please. That ass. Did you know he had the nerve to ask me to come over tonight, after acting like such a prick this morning? Comparing me to Kim Lawson. Have you seen her? She's ugly and she can't dress worth a shit! He's lucky he landed someone like me. Whatever, he can go back to her if he's so damn obsessed with her." She crossed her arms over her chest and positively glowered. He had really pissed her off apparently.

"Sorry, Alice. You're way better than Kim and if he can't see that, then he's not worth your time," I told her loyally. It was true, though how Kim dressed wasn't of interest to me. She was a royal bitch though and Alice was incredibly sweet, when she wasn't annoying me with Edward stories of course.

"Thank you, Bella. Anyway, there's nothing wrong with me. I'm just through wasting my time on losers like Jared when I've got a real winner right here." She held her phone aloft. "Edward treats me like a princess. He's all that I need."

Rose sighed. "So you're going to date your phone, then? Don't get me wrong, Alice. If this guy is cool, great, but you can't sit at home texting him every night. He may not be who you think he is. And even if he is, he's probably not sitting at home, living like a monk."

She gave me a sideways glance that let me know it wasn't just Alice she was speaking to. I got it, I did. I wasn't deluding myself into thinking that Edward wasn't dating or whatever. He'd known me for all of a few days. I wasn't a moron. Or nuts like Alice. He was a big time movie star and he had to go out and be seen and do all sorts of things I couldn't even comprehend. Just the fact that he gave me a few stray thoughts throughout his day was pretty amazing and I was enjoying that.

"Okay, you're right. But even if he's out with another girl, it's me he's texting. It's me he's thinking of." And that was eerily like what I'd just thought. Crap, I was turning delusional like Alice.

"What's his number?" Rose asked, picking Alice's laptop off the coffee table and opening it.

"What? You can't call him! I promised!" Alice shrieked, holding her phone protectively.

"I'm not going to call him. I just want to know what area code he's using."

I chuckled. That actually wasn't a bad idea. We could at least find out if Alice's guy lived in LA.

"I'm not giving you the number." She pouted. "I'll give you the area code only." She scrolled through her phone. "214."

"214?" Rose asked, typing it in on the computer. "That's the area code for the Dallas, Texas area. Can you explain why Edward Cullen would have a Texas phone number?"

Alice frowned. "Maybe he picked one up when he was traveling or something. How do I know? Maybe he lived in Dallas before he moved to California."

Rose looked at me for confirmation. Of course she did. "No, his family moved from Chicago to California when he was thirteen."

"It's sad that you know that," Alice told me, glaring at me like I'd done something wrong.

"Excuse me? I'm not the one who thinks she's talking to Edward Cullen when she's clearly talking to a little kid! He's probably sending you those poems because they're his English homework!" Shit, I'd lost my temper and now it was out there.

Alice's eyes widened. "Little kid? What, just because he's sensitive and poetic, he's a child?"

"No, because he says Steven Steele is super cool, he's a kid. Because his mom said he shouldn't give out his real name, he's a kid," I snapped.

"Maybe he was joking about that! Did you ever think of that?" Her eyes were watering and I felt like shit for causing her to cry.

"Maybe. I don't really know. All I know is that doesn't sound like Edward Cullen to me."

"It doesn't sound like the Edward you fantasize about," she replied. "You don't know him any better than I do. It could be him. Even if it's not, I like him and I don't need the two of you shitting all over me for it." She stood up and Rose took her arm before she could walk away.

"We're not shitting on you. We're just concerned that you're getting carried away."

Alice pulled her arm away and walked toward her bedroom. "Thank you for your concern, but I'm a grown up and I think I can handle it. I'm putting my heart out there. Maybe I'll get hurt, maybe I won't. At least I'm trying, unlike some people." She looked directly at me over her shoulder. Fuck. Message received. But I was trying. She just didn't know it because I hadn't told her. I certainly wasn't about to now. She went into her room and shut the door loudly.

"Well, shit. That didn't go exactly the way I hoped it would," Rose muttered. I felt my own tears starting to well up and I just nodded. "Hey, Bella, don't let what she said bother you. You are getting out there, in your own way."

I laughed and wiped at my eyes. "Am I? I'm doing exactly what you told her not to do."

Rose put her arm around me. "You and Alice are two very different people. She didn't go through what you went through with Tyler. You're putting yourself out there in a way you never have before. This works for you. You need safe right now. Alice is a very different person and you know it. What works for you doesn't work for her and vice versa. I'm not sure how you two have been friends for so long when you're so different."

I shrugged. "She's Alice. She's so full of life and she makes me do things I never would have done on my own."

Rose shook her head. "I guess. But don't let her get you down. You're doing this on your own and I'm proud of you. I don't want you to live in the fantasy land that Alice is, but I do want you to have fun. Flirt. Sext. Have hot phone sex, computer sex and if he's really Edward Cullen, real sex. I demand that. And I want a full play by play if it happens." She grinned over at me.

I choked out a laugh. "Naturally."

"I'm going to bed. We'll let grump ass stew for the night and then we'll apologize tomorrow. It's mostly me she's mad at. She just lashed out at you because you rained on her Edward parade."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, I guess."

"Go, see if your boy has responded to you. Cheer up, Bella. You're flirting with a movie star. We should all be so lucky." She ruffled my hair as she rose to her feet. "See you tomorrow."

"Goodnight." I sighed and took out my phone as Rose closed her door.

He'd played the word tooth off my leech. That was kinda cute. I felt myself smiling even before I opened his message. No matter what, he was good for me.

**Wow. I bow down to your word usage, Bella. I've been sitting here for a good half an hour trying to figure out just how to respond to you. I'm afraid you've outwitted me in more ways than one! No preferred brand of lotion, I'm afraid. Just unscented. I am a guy after all. I'll leave smelling like a pretty flower to you.**

Oh, Edward, we both know you smell amazing. Well, I assume you do. I'd love to smell you. And do other way more interesting things to you.

**You can share anything you want to with me. No judging, remember? But I will admit I cringed a little when you mentioned a past conquest. Is it wrong that I was a bit jealous? It probably is, but I feel like you're too special to share. Which is crazy; since you're a college girl with no doubt countless guys after you. Yeah, maybe we shouldn't go there.**

Well, hot damn, Edward Cullen was jealous of Pinky Peen Sam. If he only knew! I loved it, though, and I more than got it. He had way more women after him than I had men, or in the case of Mike Newton, boys, after me. Silly, sweet Edward.

**You want to see my yard stick? You think you could handle it? I imagine I could make up for the shortcoming you mentioned, but I don't want to scare you off either!**

Of course he was packing. That went without saying!

**I may not be into S &M yet, but this talk of handcuffs and brandishing yard sticks might change my mind. How is it that you make that sound so insanely hot?**

Just a special talent of mine, Edward.

**Bring on the sexy torture, Bella. I'll be your willing prisoner.**

Hot and damn. Yes, please.

**I can't tell you how much I love that you'll say things to me that you won't say to other people. Your being shy and my being…limited in what I can say, aren't so very different it seems. You can be open with me, Bella, in any and every way.**

Wide open, Edward. Anywhere you like. Jesus, I was getting hot.

**While I'd love your picture at some point, I'm in no rush. Right now I'm just enjoying getting to know an incredible person that makes me laugh and stimulates my mind and other parts of me equally. I hope I do the same for you.**

Never doubt it, Edward. You've got me on a major high. I'm going to have to buy a value pack of double A's for my vibrator at this point.

**So, the instant you find out my name, you look for another more exciting Edward to spend your time with? I didn't know Ed Harris had a new flick out. I'll have to look into that. He's an amazing actor. I guess I'll go cry into my pillow while you stare at some better Edward. I hope you come back to me.**

I'll always come back to you, Edward. And we both know that I wasn't looking at Ed Harris, talented though he may be. He's no you. Well played, though. Now you have me wondering if I'm wrong again. That's okay. I like it.

_I bet you smell incredible. Just a hunch I have. But I'm glad you don't use scented lotion. Some things should not smell flowery, especially manly parts._

_I love that you were a little jealous when I mentioned an unfortunate incident in my very distant past. Is it okay to admit to you that a friend and I were talking tonight about how ridiculous it would be for me to assume you were sitting at home just waiting to talk to me? It bugged me, even though I knew it was true. She's just trying to get me to go out and live a little. I guess I'm happy in this little bubble. I let you in, though, so I'm not lonely anymore._

Deep thoughts, with Bella Swan. It was true, though. I felt like I belonged talking to Edward, be he Edward Cullen or Edward Rothstein.

_Not countless guys, which is a good thing. One annoying pest that won't take a hint, but eventually I'll knock it into his head. How many times do you have to ditch a guy before he goes away? I ask for your expert opinion on this one. And no, I'm not telling you to make you jealous, even though I love that I can. I really want to know._

_I'm pretty sure you could never scare me off, even if you were packing a yard stick. That would just make you more of a challenge, and I'm quite competitive, as you've clearly seen._

_I can promise you'll be the happiest prisoner in the world. I'll keep you well satisfied and you won't even need your manly, unscented lotion anymore. Win all around._

Nope, no lotion necessary. We can use much more interesting methods of lubrication.

_You do stimulate me just as much, if not more, than I stimulate you. I was just thinking that I needed to go buy a heavy duty package of batteries to get through our game. I'll pick them up when I get your lotion._

_I'm afraid that Ed Harris doesn't have a new movie out that I know of. I went and saw a girly movie. I'm sure it wouldn't be your thing but my friends and I were blown away. And while that Edward was fantastic and yes, quite hot, it was you that I hurried home to talk to. That counts for something, right? I'll always come back to you. Stimulating conversation trumps a pretty face any day, at least for me._

Good. If he was Edward Cullen, he now knew I loved his movie and that I thought he was hot. If he wasn't; then he knew that I really was anxious to come home and talk to him again, which was the honest truth. Whatever Edward I had, I didn't want to lose.

I smiled when I saw my letters and the move he'd left me. I played heart off his first t in tooth for a triple word score. Heart. That one little word said quite a lot. He was making his way into mine and I couldn't be sorry about it.

* * *

  
****


	10. Loafs

I'd had a pretty shitty night after I went to bed. Try as I might, I couldn't get Alice's hurt face out of my mind. I shouldn't have snapped at her like I had, just because I was defensive about my Edward knowledge. It wasn't like I stalked him, though. Well, not exactly, unless you counted the Words with Friends thing. His history was common knowledge. It was right there on the internet for any fan to find. He talked about growing up in interviews and shit. I wasn't that bad, was I?

I sighed and reached for my other pillow. The sun was streaming into my room and I couldn't sleep whenever it started to get light outside. I was probably part vampire. That would explain quite a lot actually.

My hand finally located my pillow and I yanked it toward me. "Ow!" What the hell was that? Oh my God, there was someone in my bed. Who was in my bed? Please don't let it be Mike Newton. Wait, I wasn't drinking last night. It couldn't be Mike Newton. I cautiously opened one eye and saw a rumpled black head of hair. Shit, it better not be Sam. Even I wasn't desperate enough to go there again.

I sat up and breathed a huge sigh of relief when I saw the body next to mine was a lot smaller and a lot more female than Sam's, well, minus the pinky peen of course. That might have explained things if he was part woman. Hermaphrodite Sam. I'd have to ask Rose about that. Did they study that in med school?

Shaking my head, I focused on the girl lying in my bed. She must have come in not too long ago, because I'd have seen her during one of my many wake ups.

"Are you just going to stare at me?" she asked, finally opening her eyes and pinning me in her gray gaze.

How best to answer that? "Um, that's about the only thing I want to do with you when you're in my bed, sorry to say. If you're switching teams, go crawl in Rose's bed. She was trying to flash me yesterday."

Alice stared at me like I was nuts, which admittedly, I might be. "I didn't come in here to seduce you."

"I'm glad to hear that, I think. Why are you here?"

She sat up and threw her arms around me. Okay, maybe she was lying about the seduction thing.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean what I said last night. I just got mad and I said it and I can't take it back and I truly hope you don't hate me because you're my best friend and I love you and I'm raging bitch and I would never do anything to hurt you. You know that right?"

How she got all that out in one breath was beyond me. Seriously, the English major in me was diagramming her attempted sentence and working it into about four different sentences. I shook my head again and tried to focus on what was important, which was Alice apologizing.

"It's okay. What you said was, well, it was partially true I guess." She shook her head vehemently but I held up a hand. "I haven't been trying. You were right about that. After Tyler…"

"Tyler was a lying cocksucker and I'm still going to drive to Pullman and kick his ass one of these days when he least suspects it," she hissed, her face in a comical grimace.

I laughed and ruffled her messy hair. "That's not necessary. He's getting his punishment in the form of a life sentence marriage to a girl he claims not to love. I'm better off without him."

"Well, of course you are! You don't need his stupid ass. You can do way better Bella. And you will, when you're ready."

What a far cry this was from yesterday. I almost didn't know how to wrap my head around it. Edward entered my mind and my fingers actually itched to reach for my phone. Not now, Bella.

"It's been six months. I am closer to being ready. I'm just not ready ready, if that makes sense."

Alice giggled. "Actually, it does. The fact that you're willing to think about taking a chance again means a lot. I was afraid you'd just give up on guys completely."

"And that's why you snuck into my bed, to see if I would succumb to my womanly desires?" I smirked at her.

She smacked my arm. "No, I snuck into your bed so I could be sure not to miss you before you headed out for the day. Because I needed to apologize."

"You should apologize for smacking me." I rubbed my arm and mock glared at her. "That's my throwing arm."

"What do you ever throw?" she asked, tilting her head, her lips twitching.

"Uh…I toss Rose the remote control when she asks for it." That really was about it, too. That was pretty sad.

Alice shook her head. "Exactly. The only thing you need that arm for is masturbating."

My mouth fell open. Was Rose wearing an Alice disguise? "Excuse me? Even if I did, which I don't, then injuring it would be really rude on your part, seeing as you know I'm not hooking up with anyone at the moment."

She lost it then, dissolving in a fit of giggles. "That's true! I'm sorry!" She rubbed my arm even as she laughed herself silly. "I can get you some ice if you want, you know, like they give to pitchers during a baseball game? I wouldn't want you to lose your mojo!"

I pushed her and she nearly toppled off the bed before catching herself. "Bitch."

"Whore. No, wait, that doesn't work under the circumstances. Nun." She grinned widely.

This was much better than yesterday. "Such an insult. You know, you need to work on your apologizing skills. They're rather lacking."

Alice's eyes widened and the smile fell off her face. "Bella, I really am sorry. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I shouldn't have lashed out like that."

I sighed and patted her pink pajama clad leg. "It's okay. I wasn't exactly tactful when I told you my opinion."

She looked into her lap and then looked back up at me. "You really think he's a kid?"

I shrugged. I was going to tell her the truth, well, as much of the truth as I deemed acceptable at this time. "I don't know. The stuff you showed me made me think he was a kid. But he could be anybody and any age."

"But you don't think he's Edward Cullen." Her voice was flat and I feared another explosion.

I shook my head slowly. "No. I've watched and read a lot of his interviews. He doesn't sound like the person you're talking to. And I know, it's possible that he's putting on a show and he's entirely different in person, but that different? I just don't think so."

She looked impossibly sad and I put my arm around her. "But you've spent a lot of time talking to this guy and you obviously like him. Isn't that what really matters? Not that he's Edward, but that he's somebody you connect with?" I didn't think I'd trade my Edward for the real Edward, if indeed he wasn't the real Edward. Well, maybe not. The real Edward was pretty damn hot though. Still, I'd miss my Edward a lot and ultimately, a hot face and a hotter body wasn't enough to give him up.

Alice looked like she was thinking over what I'd said. "Yes. I mean, I'd rather he be Edward, because hello, hotness, but even if he's not, I really do like him, Bella. He's so sweet and he asks me all about myself and he thinks I'm great. It's pretty addicting, you know?"

I squeezed her shoulder. "You are great and the fact that he sees that says something about him."

She smirked. "That maybe he's not twelve?"

I laughed. "Since he threw some Shakespeare at you, I might be willing to concede high school age."

She poked my side. "Rude! For all you know, he could be some hot cowboy, riding the range on his horse, Magnum, and packing one in his pants at the same time!"

She killed me. I was doubled over from laughing so hard. "You can hope!"

"Maybe I do. If he's not Edward, then he's a hot Texas cowboy who will read me poetry while I lounge by the fire on a bear skin rug. I win either way."

Were there bears in Texas? What did I know? I continued to snicker and nodded. "You deserve to."

She smiled and hugged me again. "And so do you. I really am sorry I said what I said."

"I forgive you, as long as you forgive me, and of course, let me cop a squat next to you on your bear skin rug from time to time."

"I can do that!" She beamed up at me. "What time is it?"

I glanced at the clock and groaned. "Eight."

"Shit! I gotta get ready for class. Are we okay?"

I nodded. "Sure we are. Are you still going to call your mystery man Edward?"

She hopped out of my bed. "Hell yes I am. Until he gives me a real name, he could still be Edward Cullen. Maybe it's not likely, but if it's even a tenth of a percentage point, I gotta roll with it, right?"

More like a millionth of a percentage point. I rolled my eyes. "If you say so."

"I do. I love you and I'm sorry."

It was good to have the normal Alice back. "I love you, too. Now get out of here. I've got to get around."

"Okay, see you later!" She skipped out of my room and headed to her own.

I leaned back against my pillows and closed my eyes for a second. Even if she was still holding on to the idea of Edward, at least she wasn't completely delusional anymore. And we were okay. That was a relief.

Also a relief? I had a little time before I had to get ready which meant I had time to check and see if Edward had played. I grabbed my phone and frowned at the world he'd played. I give him a heart and he gives me a tuna. How male was that? Humph. I opened up his message and leaned against my headboard to read.

**My manly parts definitely do not smell like flowers, nor does any part of me. I have no idea what I smell like, unless I'm wearing cologne. Perhaps one day, you could tell me?**

Um, yes. I will bury my nose so far in your neck that you'll wonder if I'm trying to crawl inside you. And that, Bella Swan, sounded incredibly stalkery. Absolutely do not use that in your reply. He will run away screaming.

**While I might not be at home waiting to hear from you, I can tell you that you're on my mind an inordinate amount of time during the day and even more at night. And if I were actually at home right now, I think I'd prefer your company to that of most anybody. We can be a little less lonely together. Honestly, I'm traveling a ton right now and you're helping get me through. So thank you for that, Bella.**

My heart was pounding at his words. If I wasn't careful, I was totally going to fall for this guy. Not that that would be a bad thing, necessarily, but seeing as he might be a major movie star and I was just Bella Swan, college student, well, it might be a bad thing. I don't know. Weirder things had happened. Maybe. Good God, I wanted the hell out of him. Whoever he was. And traveling? Edward was on a media blitz for his movie now. _Entertainment Tonight_ said he was in Paris. Check another box in the Edward Cullen column.

**I really can't say that I know how to get rid of a guy who can't take a hint. I could brag and claim that nobody ever tried to get rid of me, but that would be a lie. I was pretty awkward for awhile there when I was a kid. I knew how to take a hint though. No means no and all that good stuff. Maybe you could wear a t-shirt that says that? Or perhaps I could run him off for you.**

Absolutely, Edward. You get your fine ass up here and we'll make out right in front of Mike. Hell, you could make love to me right in the middle of the quad in front of the entire school and I wouldn't utter a word of protest. I would utter all sorts of other words, like fuck and yes and harder, but no protest.

**I enjoy your competitive streak. No point in playing with someone who can't bring it. And you can play with me, and my yard stick, any time you like.**

See, same page. Meet me on the quad, Edward.

**You can't take way my lotion after you tell me you're running out of batteries. I reached for my bottle the instant I read that. Do you know what a hot image entered my mind? Let's say you were in your best teacher wear and your desk was involved. So you see, I need my lotion, unless you have a better idea.**

I whimpered when I read that because I could see it all too clearly. Maybe I should chuck the masters and start teaching immediately. The sooner I was at that desk, the better.

**A chick flick, huh? What kind of manly actor stars in one of those? Clearly not one that could compete with me. No wonder you ran home to play with me. Now there's a good thought. And now I need my lotion yet again. People are going to start saying I have girl hands with all this moisturizing. I'll blame you for it too.**

**I'm glad you enjoyed your movie and your hot actor. I'm gladder that you prefer me to him. Gladder? That's a weird word but autocorrect says it's right. Heart, huh? Are you trying to tell me something? I kinda like it. Your move!**

I like it too, Edward. Very much.

_I give you my heart, you give me tuna. Are you trying to tell me something? That I'm fishy? That I smell? Now I'm the one who's insulted!_

I giggled as I imagined his expression. Would he worry?

_I'd love to tell you what you smell like, and I'm willing to bet it isn't tuna. Yes, I am still offended. But I'll forgive you, because I'm full of heart, just like my word._

Take that, Cullen.

_I'm more than happy to help take away your loneliness, Edward. Do you travel a lot? Is it for work or pleasure? I'm very glad I'm not alone in having thoughts throughout the day, and yes, especially at night. Hence the battery shortage. In all seriousness, I prefer your company to most everybody else's as well. You, as they say, get me. And vice versa. Plus, you're sexy, or at least your words are. For an English major, you can't get much better than that!_

There, tell some truths but keep it lightish. Good job, Bella.

_A no means no t-shirt? I don't think that would get through to him. You most certainly would though. And that's the second time you've referenced being in the same vicinity as me, or me and my stalker. Are you traveling to Washington anytime soon?_

Please say yes. Please!

_I can play with you anytime I like? That would cut my battery spending costs. That could only be good for the environment, so I'm going to say that we'll be playing quite a lot. Is that alright with you?_

Like I don't know the answer to that particular question.

_A desk you say? And hot teacher wear? That would be the see-through blouse and tight skirt, right? Would I accidentally drop my chalk and bend down to pick it up right in front of you, driving you mad with lust and forcing you to bend me over the desk and have your wicked way with me? How's your lotion supply doing now? I really hope you're able to stock up while traveling. They don't allow big bottles on the plane. Be careful!_

And, with my mind full of that image, I was going to need to get my batteries out soon.

_I'm sure your hands are quite manly, even if they're well moisturized. I'd be more than willing to check them out for myself and let you know. It's all in your best interest, of course. The actor was plenty manly but you hold a certain appeal that I just can't resist. Playing with you brings me pleasure. Playing with you would probably bring me more, if you get my drift._

He'd totally get it. Edward was a bright, pervy guy. I adored that about him. And his hands were masterful. He had to know that.

_Crazy though it may be, I do prefer you to just about anyone but my best friends, and then it depends what kind of mood they're in. I'm glad that you're glad I prefer you. What do you prefer?_

And that would do it for now. I glanced at my letters. They really kind of blew. I had an S, O, and F but there was no T open. It really would have rocked if I could play soft after the hands moisturizing comment. Oh well, I'll play Loafs off of Lone for a triple word score instead. Loaf went with tuna after all. Plus I got 33 points and a 70 point lead.

I shut off my phone and hopped out of bed. I couldn't wait to see if he answered any of my questions. Give me more, Edward and I'll give you anything you like.


	11. Sifts

"Bella, get in here!" Rose's urgent voice had me hopping off my bed and hurrying into the living room.

"What?"

"Unfuckingbelievable. You've got to watch this." She was glaring at the TV, which was airing a commercial which admittedly was annoying. How in the hell could _Heart_ allow their song to be used in a damn mop commercial? You should be ashamed of yourselves, Nancy and Ann Wilson.

"What? I hate that fucking commercial."

" _Extra_ is breaking a major story from Paris. A major story involving one Edward Cullen."

Paris? Edward? My heart stopped. What the hell had happened? I hadn't heard from him yet today. Was there an accident? Was he attacked by a fan? What? I finally made my mouth spew the words that were flying through my head and Rose shook hers.

"I don't know, exactly. They said there was some exciting Hollywood marriage news from the stars of _Wild at Heart."_

And with those words, my heart sank instead. Married? Had he married Irina? Was he flirting, practically sexting with me and marrying her minutes later? What kind of asshole was he?

"Have you heard from him yet today?" Rose demanded.

I shook my head. "Not since I responded to him first thing this morning." My stomach rolled. "I think I'm going to be sick."

"No you're not. If he married her while talking like that to you, he's not worth even your vomit. He's lower than that." Rose slipped her arm around me. "And anyway, we still don't know for sure that it's the same Edward. Let's just see what the story says and we'll go from there."

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. What right did I have to get upset anyway? I was just some stranger he played a game with. Edward would have five wives and I couldn't do anything about it. But if he was married, well, our game was over. I couldn't pretend that it didn't matter to me. It mattered entirely too much.

The commercials cut off and there was the ridiculously smarmy Mario Lopez grinning at the camera. Rose squeezed my shoulder in support.

" _Breaking wedding news from the Paris premiere of Wild at Heart today. What major stars said 'I do?' Let's go to our overseas correspondent, Dayna Devon, to hear just what went down. Dayna?"_

And then we were on an equally cheery and insipid Dayna Devon, who looked like she was going to pop with excitement. I wanted to pop her, right in her stupid, cheerful face.

" _Hello from Paris, Mario! Yes, a super secret wedding for two stunning co-stars. They sprang it on us at the press conference today. Here's a clip."_

Jesus Christ, you talking monkeys, just tell me what the fuck happened! I was ready to throw something before they loaded the clip. There he was. Edward Cullen, looking utterly beautiful in a gray suit. I wanted to kiss him. Or punch him. I wasn't sure. Both probably. God, I had problems. Irina sat next to him in some hideous orange dress that admittedly looked good on her. On her right was James Wilson, the second male lead in the film.

" _I have some exciting news,"_ Irina purred, completely ignoring the reporter's question about the movie. She glanced at Edward and my hands tightened into fists. _"Last night, James and I got married!"_ She flashed her garish diamond ring at the screen and James smiled.

"James? She married James?" Rose yelled. "Thank God!"

I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. All I could do was let the relief wash over me. The camera cut away from the happy chattering couple to Edward, who had a tight smile on his face.

"Oh my God, I don't think he knew." How could she do that to him? Well, I knew how, because she was stupid whore that cheated on the perfect man. Of course she'd have no qualms shitting on him in front of TV cameras. "Rewind it to her announcement, Rose."

I'd been staring at him, but I hadn't really seen his immediate reaction to the news, I'd been so busy bracing myself for the blow that I would have felt if he was married to her. I should have known better, though. Edward had way better taste than that. He'd never go back to a girl that treated him like garbage. Not my Edward. My Edward…that was a lovely thought.

Rose rewound the DVR. I concentrated solely on Edward as Irina said she had exciting news. He looked confused, like he had no idea what she was about to say. As soon as she said the word married, he flinched. It was quick and it was subtle but it was there. "Fuck, he really didn't know."

"How could she do that to him?" Rose asked, shaking her head in disbelief. "I mean, who blindsides their ex-boyfriend like that?"

"Evil bitches like Irina, that's who. Play the rest of it."

Rose did so. I kept my eyes on Edward, who kept his face blank, his smile automatic. It made my heart hurt to see him look like that.

" _We were walking past a little chapel yesterday and James dropped to his knee and asked me to marry him. We just rushed inside and did the deed."_ She was smiling widely and leaning into James, who was grinning like he'd won the lottery. The whore lottery. Enjoy that while it lasts, dipshit. Was that marriage even legal? Somehow I doubted it, but who cared? As long as she wasn't with Edward.

" _Edward! What do you have to say about this? You and Irina did date, after all."_ Could the reporter, if that's what you called these ridiculous celebrity asslickers, be anymore smug with that fucking question?

"Who is that asshole? I want to punch him," Rose seethed.

"You and me both."

Edward cleared his throat and leaned toward the mike. _"All I can say is congratulations. I'm glad that Irina has found happiness. I wish nothing but the best for her and James."_

"He's so classy," I murmured. Of course he'd take the high road, unlike some bitchy ex-girlfriends. I loathed her.

"He really is. I would have said I was glad that I wasn't saddled with the raging cunt and wished James luck because he was going to need it," Rose supplied. Rose at a press conference would be a sight to behold.

I laughed and rested my head against her shoulder. "Thank God it wasn't him."

"I know. I was ready to fly to Paris and kick some major ass. Maybe I still will. I'd love to break that bitches' beak."

She really did have a bird-like nose. I snorted. _Extra_ cut back to Mario who chattered about what a beautiful couple they were for a couple of seconds. I shut off the TV to silence his yammering.

"Well, no wonder I haven't heard back from Edward. He's probably shutting out the world right now." I felt a little pang at the idea of him avoiding even me. I would be there for him, if he wanted me to.

"Can't blame the guy. She just humiliated him publicly and he's stuck with her for the rest of the media blitz. If he left now, he'd look like he was running away, which is just what she wants, I bet. Did you see her look at him? She was glad she got to lower the boom like that."

"I wish I could do something." My heart hurt for him. Whether he was my Edward or not, he was a decent man who didn't deserve that treatment.

"All you can do is be there for him. Check your phone. Leave him another message. Don't say anything about this, but just maybe say you're thinking of him and wanted to say hello," Rose advised.

That actually wasn't a bad idea. "I'll go do that."

Rose smiled. "Still won't let me watch, huh? "

"Nope. I can't let loose with you watching me."

She laughed. "I'm going to order some Chinese. You want anything?"

I wasn't that hungry after watching that. "Just get me some chicken fried rice."

"Will do. Go make him smile. He needs it."

I went into my room and grabbed my phone off my nightstand as I got back on my bed. The book I'd been reading was lying next to me but I was not in the mood for more Chaucer tonight. I opened my app and saw that he'd played and messaged me. Thank god. Zag off of razed for 20 points. Not bad, Edward. At least he wasn't shutting me out.

**Of course I don't think you're fishy or that you smell like tuna. I'm sure you smell very good. I'll tell you what you smell like when you tell me what I smell like, deal? My letters sucked and I had to play what I had to play. I'd much rather have given you something that was worthy of your heart. Maybe I can make it up to you at some point?**

Smell away, Edward. And yes, you can certainly make it up to me. I can think of many ways, all of them involving us being naked.

**I do travel a lot. Mostly for work, but sometimes for pleasure. Generally always alone, or with people who are paid to be with me so it doesn't really count as companionship. Have you ever been anywhere outside of Washington? I admit, one of the perks of my job is that I get to go to many interesting places, but I rarely get to truly enjoy them. I don't get much down time either. Oh well, I can't really complain.**

My heart ached for him. He sounded lonely. And if he was Edward, after what happened today, how could he not feel lonely? I wanted to hug him.

**If my words are sexy, yours are beyond that. I'd call them downright stimulating. You keep taunting me with those batteries. I admit, a large (pun intended) part of me wants to know exactly what you're using them in, but my imagination goes to all sorts of good places so you don't have to tell me if you don't want to.**

I snickered. What do you want to know? Size? Dimensions? You tell me yours and I'll tell you mine, Edward. Oh yeah, I was so using that line.

**I can't say that Washington is in my itinerary for this trip, but with a little time and a lot of incentive, I could be persuaded to see that my next trip for pleasure leads me to head north. Would it be a trip for pleasure, Bella?**

And with those words, my stomach was fluttering for all the right reasons. Holy hell. Yes, Edward, all the pleasure in the world.

**I'm a real fan of saving the environment, but I'd hate to see those batteries stop being used. I have a very pleasant, okay, hot, mental image of just what you do with them. Perhaps you should show your toy to your stalker and tell him you don't need him. No, wait a minute, don't do that. That's for my eyes only.**

It was entirely too hot in here. I was in shorts and a t-shirt but I was sweating at his words. I needed a cold shower.

**Fresh out of lotion after the mental images you shot at me this go-round. It's a good thing hotels supply them. I'll have to call room service and smell not-manly for the night. Bending over in front of me to pick up your chalk? You are a naughty teacher, Bella. Very naughty. And I'd love to bend you over your desk and punish you for taunting me so. I can promise, much like your torture, my punishment would be sweet and leave you wanting more.**

Fuck. So hot. I was wet and I was moaning and they were just words. But damn, what words they were. God I wanted him.

**I'll be happy to let you check out my hands and let me know if they're still manly or not. I think it would require a lot of touching, just so you could be sure to give me an accurate report. Would that be alright with you?**

Hands. His hands were masterpieces. Yes, they could touch me wherever and whenever they wanted.

**I very much prefer you, Bella. You've been the highlight of this week by far. I hope you will continue to be even after this game is over. For now I bid you adieu. It's late here and even though my body hasn't adjusted to the time, I should sleep. After I get that new bottle of lotion. Your turn.**

My turn. My turn? Like I was supposed to be coherent after all of that? Good Lord. Maybe I should call Rose in here and let her take it up a notch. The man had left me reeling. No, Rose couldn't sext my Edward. That was my job. I just needed a minute to calm down. Ah, fuck it. I couldn't wait.

_I'd say we better have a deal, Cartoon boy. All that taunting about touching me and smelling me better have some damn payoff. I need a cold shower after your message. Well, I need a lot more than that, but that's all I can have at the moment. When might you come up north?_

Hopefully that wasn't too needy. But damn, I needed him.

_I can't say that I've been anywhere overly interesting. Florida, Arizona. Cancun was kinda fun. I went with my two best friends a couple years ago. Can I admit that the thought of you being stuck in some hotel room, alone, makes me kind of sad? I know you're probably used to it but I wish I could be there with you to make it more fun. Take that however you want._

We could have a lot of fun, in and out of bed. I could feel it.

_Still taunting me with your yard sick, aren't you? That's okay, I'll get my revenge by taunting you with my toys. Every girl has to have their trusty rabbit, of course, but my favorite is this little blue car with two bullets. I'll let you wonder about where they go, but let me say that when you turn those wheels, they can make you see stars. Well, me see stars. You'd just see one very excited girl. Which I imagine would be okay with you. If you want to know more than that, such as size and dimensions, you'll have to share your own first._

I snickered at that one. It would be more than okay, I had no doubt. I'd never even let Tyler watch me play, but I had no qualms about Edward doing so. Especially if those dimensions proved impressive.

_Your trip to Washington would be nothing but pleasure, provided it included me of course. If you're just coming to see the Space Needle, well, I'm not sure how much fun that would be. It's a great state that has a lot to offer, not the least of which is me. So you tell me, would you find that pleasurable?_

We both know the answer to that one.

_I won't show my stalker my toys. Nobody has ever seen them actually, though I'd be willing to let you, with the right incentive. Showing him would encourage whatever ridiculous daydreams he has about me. I'd rather encourage yours and hear all about them. What kind of punishment did you have in mind?_

Yeah, I really need to know the answer to that one.

_I'm willing to do a very thorough study of your hands to be sure they qualify as manly. You'll probably have to touch every inch of me in order for me to be sure. Would that work for you? I wouldn't want to mislead you and then have someone accuse you of having girly hands, after all. A few hours, or days, and I could probably come to a reasonable conclusion._

Days of those hands on me? I couldn't even fathom the idea, but I'd sure like to. Time to go play my word and then wrap it up before I got lost in a very pleasant fantasy. I flipped over to the game board. I played sifts, adding the s to tuna and connecting it to my loafs. At least I was putting our words together. If only our bodies could come together the same way.

I moved back to the messages to finish up.

_I wish I could help you sleep. Being in a strange bed is never easy, especially when you're alone._

_You've been a real highlight of my week as well and I just want you to know that no matter what, I'm happy I've gotten to spend this time with you. It means more to me than I can even say._

Was that too much? Well, what was done was done. Hopefully he'd take it the right way and not start worrying that I was growing too attached. I probably was, but I couldn't help myself. He was just too sexy and funny and sad at the same time. I wanted to make him smile, however I could.

**Bella, are you still there?**

Holy shit, he was on! What do I do? I talk to him of course. Don't be stupid, Bella.

_Yeah, I'm here. Shouldn't you be dreaming about me right now?_

He really should be, especially after my last message.

**I couldn't sleep. Decided to see if you'd replied and for once, my timing seems to be perfect. Wanna talk for awhile?**

Um, obviously. I want nothing more.

_Of course. On here or?_

I waited anxiously. I really didn't want to type on my phone for hours on end but if he wanted to, I wouldn't say no.

**Do you have yahoo messenger?**

IM! Yes! I fistpumped before responding.

_Yes, same name there._

**Me too. See you on there in a few minutes? I need to turn on my laptop.**

_Me too. Talk to you in a few, Edward._

**I look forward to it, Bella. More than I can possibly say.**

I ran to get my laptop off my desk and boot it up. I was going to talk to Edward beyond just our little messages. What would he say? What would he do? Were we going to cyber? Please, God, don't let Alice or Rose come in. I got up and locked my door just in case. Finally, me and Edward one and one. I couldn't wait.

* * *


	12. First Call

What was taking so long? I pulled up my yahoo and I was logged on and oh my God! I had a picture of Edward Cullen as my avi. He'd log off before he said hello if he saw that. I quickly clicked browse and slapped a picture of a kitten in its place. If I had more time, I'd have found a good one of me, but those were few and far between unless I wanted to convince him that I was a demon. Which, I really did not. I'd have to get Rose to take some good pictures of me, if that was possible.

_Would you like to accept a friend request from Skeletor17?_

Duh, computer, do I look like a dumbass? Don't answer that. I clicked yes and there he was. Of course his avi was a damn sunset. What the hell, Edward? Why not the shirtless pic I'd just been forced to remove?

**Skeletor17: Hi, Bella. It's good to finally meet you, so to speak.**

_BlueBel22: Hi, Edward. It's good to meet you too. It seems like we've been talking for ages, instead of just a few days._

**Skeletor17: True, but I figure I've done about a year's worth of thinking about you since you popped up on my iPhone.**

Oh, damn, Edward, if you only knew.

_BlueBel22: I know exactly what you mean. I'm afraid you're far more interesting than my studies._

**Skeletor17: LOL, I should hope so! I mean, I get the impression you're not exactly a nerd that's holed up studying every minute of the day because she likes it.**

Ha! My friends might beg to differ.

_BlueBel22: Hahah, I can be nerdy, but I do get out now and then. This year my classes are kind of a pain in the ass anyway and I'm really just anxious for it to be over. Who wants to study Feminist Lit anyway?_

I wondered how he'd react to that one.

**Skeletor17: Not me! I think I have the wrong anatomy for that class. Is it filled with militant man-haters like those girls in PCU? Is college at all like PCU? Stay away from flying Bees, Bella.**

PCU! I loved that movie. Trust Edward to have the good taste to appreciate it.

_BlueBel22: You can see the occasional Frisbee flying through the quad but they're few and far between. And we certainly don't have any awesome tournaments wherein we get high and just laugh at the Bee. There are no meat tossers either, sad to say. I'd love to get in on that! Nobody militant in my class, unless they're keeping it under wraps. Why don't you come in and we'll test the theory?_

I really should watch that again soon. Jeremy Piven rocked in that movie.

**Skeletor17: You're willing to risk me like that, Bella? I'm wounded. You'd take me to class and just wait and see if man-haters came out of the woodwork? I thought I meant more to you than that.**

I giggled helplessly. He killed me. How much fun was this guy? He needed to move to Washington, pronto.

_BlueBel22: Don't be that guy, Edward._

**Skeletor17: I'm not wearing the t-shirt of the band I'm going to see, Bella. I'm talking about my physical well-being. How are you going to risk the yard stick like that?**

Oh, hell yeah, here we go.

_BlueBel22: I would never risk your yard stick, Edward. Not before I got my hands and other things on it, at least._

**Skeletor17: Other things? Such as?**

Crap, how specific did he want me to be?

_BlueBel22: Whatever you'll let me put on it, of course. A bell, to remind you of me and to inform me of when certain things arise? A bow, for me to unwrap like a present?_

Hahah, that was awesome. What do you have to say to that, Edward?

**Skeletor17: This is not going to help me get to sleep, just so you know. A bell! That would definitely bring you to mind, but I'm afraid that it would be ringing all the time, because when you're on my mind, the yard stick grows.**

My face was burning. A quick glance in my mirror showed that I was indeed getting flushed. The impact this man had on me was unprecedented.

_BlueBel22: It better not grow longer than a yard, or we'll need the Liberty Bell. And that's really quite scary. You'd get nothing more than my hands if that were the case, which would be a complete travesty._

The visual was funny, but frightening at the same time.

**Skeletor17: Ha! While I'm not exactly lacking in that department, I'm not Ron Jeremy either. You're quite safe in my hands, I assure you.**

Mmmmm, his hands!

_BlueBel22: I'm glad to hear that. And, um, I hope you're not like Ron Jeremy in any way. No offense to him but…yuck. I'm just saying. Now about those super smooth hands of yours…_

**Skeletor17: Bella, my not-so-sweet girl, just what have you been watching that you know who Ron Jeremy is and what he looks like? I can assure you, I don't resemble him in any way. I think I'm in the right industry, though that one could be quite lucrative.**

**What about my hands?**

Thank God. I'd like him no matter what but Ron Jeremy was fugly. He just was.

_BlueBel22: Why, Edward, are you trying to inquire as to my porn knowledge? While I wouldn't call it extensive, I would say that I've sampled a bit here and there. I prefer the ones that attempt to have acting. Laughter is probably not the reaction that you expect when watching porn but my friends and I find it freeing. And, you never know what you may learn._

_I was just wondering if your hands were well moisturized tonight?_

Why yes, Edward, I did just ask if you'd masturbated earlier tonight.

**Skeletor17: Yes, Bella, I was wondering about your porn knowledge. I can't help it, I'm a guy. And the image of you and your friends gathered around watching porn has the bell ringing, if you get my drift. Laughing or not, that is hot.**

**My hands are quite soft at the moment, unlike other parts of me. Thank you for your concern.**

Gah, his hands! I wanted to touch them, or more importantly, have them touching me. Not to mention the other parts.

_BlueBel22: Just looking out for what could be mine. A girl has to sample the merchandise before she purchases it you know._

_So, the bell is ringing? Would you like me to answer it?_

I bit my lip and looked around fruitlessly for something to cool down with. Why hadn't I gotten some ice water before I locked myself in my room?

**Skeletor17: More than I can possibly say, Bella. Just how would you like to sample my hands? Where do you want them?**

Um, everywhere. All over. Inside. Outside. You get the general drift.

_BlueBel22: I don't believe in setting limits, Edward. I'd take them wherever I could get them._

That was a good answer, right?

**Skeletor17: Limitless, Bella? That could get a girl like you into some trouble.**

Not with you, Edward.

_BlueBel22: Oh, I have my limits, Edward; I just don't see you pushing them. If you did, I'd make damn sure to let you know. But I don't think your hands would do anything I'd find objectionable._

**Skeletor17: Well, now I'm intrigued. What might those limits be? I can assure you, my hands will be on their best behavior.**

Oh, no you don't.

_BlueBel22: No, no! Don't you make those hands of yours behave. I'll let them know if they're ever out of line._

_My limits aren't that strange really. I like one on one. I skipped that day in kindergarten when they taught sharing._

If you're mine, Edward, you're all mine. That's that.

**Skeletor17: What a coincidence! I missed that day as well. You'd think I was only child the way I refuse to share.**

**My hands are more than willing to explore you and your limits, Bella.**

Yes, please. It was way too hot in here.

_BlueBel22: Well, it's nice we have that in common, then, isn't it? My ex had an issue on that whole sharing front and, well, we don't need to talk about that right now._

_Your hands, and the rest of you, are welcome in Washington anytime you'd like to test them._

Damn it, I shouldn't have brought up Tyler. Hopefully he wouldn't be bothered by it. I really needed a filter. You'd think I could stop myself from typing every thought in my damn head but no, out it comes.

**Skeletor17: We can discuss anything you like. And you're not alone on the ex and sharing front. Mine did the same thing. So we have another thing in common, albeit a far less fun one than the others.**

**I love how hospitable you are, Bella. Such a warm welcome.**

Well, that certainly fit with what I knew, didn't it?

_BlueBel22: I think my welcome to you would be much more on the hot than the warm side, you know what I mean?_

_Sorry you've been through it, too. It's really a blow to the ego, isn't it?_

**Skeletor17: I have no doubt your welcome would be quite hot, Bella. I can assure you, I've given your welcome A LOT of thought. Hence the lotion shortage in the greater Paris area. The good people of France will be happy that I'm leaving today, I imagine.**

Holy shit, he was in Paris! Another check. Wait, what time was it there? 5 AM? Jeez.

**Yes, it's a blow to the ego and the wrong kind of blow entirely. I can't say that I was heartbroken when it ended, but it was embarrassing, you know?**

Oh yeah, I more than know.

_BlueBel22: Seriously, you're in Paris and you're messaging me at 5 AM? I'm flattered!_

_I know exactly what you mean. I was a little heartbroken, since I thought I loved the guy and I wasted two years of my life on him, but I was definitely more embarrassed. Having to endure this year with everybody knowing has been, well, shitty. You've been a breath of fresh air, although I just tainted it by talking about him. Sorry about that._

I bit my lip as I waited for him to respond. I shouldn't have laid that on him.

**Skeletor17: I couldn't sleep and you were on my mind. I decided to see if you'd played and when I saw the messages popping up, I had to say hi. Best decision I've made in ages if I do say so myself.**

**Two years? I only wasted six months and I thought it was well behind me but then she managed to slap me in the face again today. Publicly. I couldn't give a damn about her but I'm not sure why she hates me so much that she wanted to humiliate me.**

Holy shit! Holy hell! It was definitely him. What were the odds? Paris, ex-girlfriend humiliating him publicly, Edward? Oh, my God.

**Bella? Are you there? I didn't scare you away, did I?**

Oh shit. How long had I been freaking out over the fact that I was talking to Edward Cullen instead of just talking to him? Dumbass.

_BlueBel22: I'm here, sorry. I was just thinking that any girl that would be stupid enough to not only walk away from you, but to humiliate you publicly, is really too stupid to live. Should I come to Paris and take care of her for you?_

I'll bring Rose. She can kick Irina's ass while I squeeze yours.

**Skeletor17: I'm leaving Paris behind in a few hours and her behind in a week. I think I can make it that long, with a little help from a friend. Will you get me through? Not that I don't love the idea of you taking care of her, but I'd rather you take care of me.**

Hell yes. Sign me up. Draft me. I'm in.

_BlueBel22: I'd much rather take care of you than some stupid female that didn't know how good she had it. What kind of care do you desire?_

Tell me all about your desires, Edward Cullen. I'll make them real, if you let me.

**Skeletor17: Well, I've been really tense all day, so I could definitely use a rub down. What do you say, Bella? Can I experience your hands when you experience mine?**

Was I wheezing? What in the hell was that noise? Panting? How embarrassing. Thank God he couldn't hear me, though I badly wanted to hear him.

_BlueBel22: I give very good massage, Edward. I think it's only fair that I return the favor and explore you thoroughly after you explore me. You taunted me with your hands so I get to experience them first though! Do you have any limits I should know about before I do?_

**Skeletor17: I'm sure you have very good hands, Bella, and I very much look forward to making their acquaintance. After, of course, you meet mine. No limits that I can think of, so long as you aren't getting your ideas from fetish porn or something. I do draw the line at furry costumes and uh, other things.**

I couldn't contain the laughter that bubbled up at that image. Edward in a mouse costume. No, that was NOT going to happen.

"Bella, what in the hell are you laughing about in there? And why is your door locked? I have your damn food. You better not be jerking off!"

I jumped about a foot out of my chair at Rose's voice right outside my door. Damn it, I'd forgotten about the Chinese. I hurried over to the door and did my best to keep her from coming inside, blocking the entrance with my body.

"Just studying. Thanks for the food. See you later!"

Her lavender eyes narrowed and she slapped a hand on my door before I could close it. "You're flushed. Did I interrupt masturbation?" She looked at my bed which was not remotely rumpled. "What are you up to?"

"Nothing. I was totally masturbating. Now leave so I can finish."

"Isabella Swan, you're lying to me. You can't look me in the eyes. What are you hiding? You don't lie to me." She sounded hurt and I gave in.

"Alright, come see." I gestured her to my desk and she walked over to it.

"Holy shit, you're talking to him! Are you cybering?" She shoved me out of the way and scrolled up the screen. "Not quite but close enough. Hot damn! And he's in Paris? Bella, this IS Edward Cullen!" She shrieked and I shrieked with her. It was great to have someone to share my excitement with.

**Skeletor17: Bella? Are you there? I'm the one that should be falling asleep at this hour, not you.**

"Oh, shit, he thinks I'm ignoring him." I hopped back in my chair and shot a look at Rose over my shoulder.

"Can't I watch?" she whined, looking like I'd taken away her favorite toy or something.

"No, you know I can't talk to him with you watching."

"Alright, fine. But you save that convo. I'm reading the rest of it!" She hugged me from behind and hurried out of the room, shutting the door behind her after giving me a celebratory booty shake.

I laughed and shook my head.

_BlueBel22: Sorry, my crazy roommate came in to deliver dinner. When she heard I was talking to you, she tried to sneak a peek._

_No fetish porn, I promise. Just the crappily acted storylines, like Vampire Sex Diaries and The Trial._

I dug into my fried rice and waited for his response.

**Skeletor17: Your roommate knows about me? What have you told her?**

Ooops. Now he knows I've been talking about him. Hmmm…

**I can't say that I've seen either of those movies. Clearly I must rectify this so that we're on the same porn plane.**

Porn plane? HA!

_BlueBel22: Porn Plane sounds like a good movie title. I wonder if they have that one? But I imagine you're probably more advanced in the porn world than I am. Just a hunch._

_My roommate knows I've been talking to a cool guy on WWF. Now she knows I'm talking to you via IM and she's insanely curious._

**Skeletor17: Curiosity killed the cat, and since you're rocking a kitten avi, we can't have that now, can we? Just tell her you're all mine right now.**

I'm all yours whenever you want me.

**So you think I'm some kind of porn deviant now? I'll have you know that I haven't watched porn in at least a year.**

_BlueBel22: Not even in your lonely hotel rooms? Whatever do you do while you're stuck in there?_

_I told her I'm all yours and frankly, I really like the sound of that._

I ate more of my fried rice. Food never tasted so good. What a night this was turning out to be.

**Skeletor17: I very much like the sound of that as well.**

**Usually I read, watch regular TV or surf the net, and no, not for porn. But just lately I've taken up daydreaming about teachers and librarians. It's far more interesting than French TV, let me tell you.**

Damn right it was.

_BlueBel22: Just daydreaming? Don't tell me you've been lying about the lotion shortage. My care package to you was already loaded with it. Manly, unscented lotion._

**Skeletor17: No, not just daydreaming. I assure you, the lotion shortage is real. It's a Code Red kind of situation. But don't you spend your book money on my lotion. I can assure you that I'll get some more when I arrive in Germany.**

Germany? I brought up the _Wild at Heart_ web page and looked up the itinerary. Sure enough, they were headed to Germany tomorrow. Well, today I guess.

_BlueBel22: So now you're going to cause a shortage in Germany? All of Europe will be chapped and unmoisturized at this rate! What can I do to help?_

I snickered as I waited for his response. The image of all these Germans with dry skin was funny to me.

**Skeletor17: Well, you could stop being so damn sexy and appealing, but I really don't want that. I won't be there too long. They can get more.**

Sexy and appealing? That description worked for me.

_BlueBel22: I'm afraid it's impossible for me to stop being either of those things, especially when I'm talking to you. You bring out my naughty side._

**Skeletor17: And I'm very glad that I do. All teasing aside, I have a very good time talking to you, Bella. I can't think of anything I've enjoyed more in a long time.**

My heart melted.

_BlueBel22: I have to agree with you there, Edward. I'm very glad I found you._

**Skeletor17: As am I. Were you just looking for cartoon characters or did you get assigned a random game with me?**

Oh shit, I'd said too much. I couldn't admit I'd gone looking for him, could I? It would scare him away just when he was opening up to me. No, I wouldn't risk it.

_BlueBel22: A lucky guess. You know of my He-Man love. Skeletor seemed a good place to start. I hope that's okay with you._

**Skeletor17: More than okay, Bella. You know that. Must have been fate.**

My heart hurt a little at the thought. Then again, I'd found him in a world full of people. Yes, I'd used what I knew, but the odds hadn't been in my favor. So maybe fate it was.

_BlueBel22: You can't fight fate._

**Skeletor17: I don't want to. One thing I seem to be having a hard time fighting right now is jet lag. I think I better catch some sleep before they drag me onto another plane. I hate to leave you though.**

I hated to leave him too.

_BlueBel22: You need your rest. We'll talk again, soon I hope._

**Skeletor17: Very soon. I don't know if I'll be able to meet you on chat again while I'm on this trip but I'll be back in California in a week. We'll be in the same time zone which would make chatting a lot more convenient. Does that work for you? In the meantime, we'll have Words with Friends and, well, we can email if you want. You have my address now.**

Email? Yeah, that works, Edward. How much did I love that he wanted to talk to me any way he could?

_BlueBel22: The same time zone will be a very good thing, I think. We can definitely email and play Words until then. And, if you should have trouble sleeping, send me an email and I'll meet you right back here. Okay?_

**Skeletor17: What did I do to deserve you? Thank you for tonight, Bella. You made my night/morning a hell of a lot better than I possibly thought it could be. You made me smile and you made me feel good.**

He made me feel good, too, in all the right places.

_BlueBel22: How good?_

**Skeletor17: Watch it! Not every part of me is as tired as my brain is and I really do need some sleep.**

I giggled. I loved how I could set him off with just a couple words.

_BlueBel22: Okay, I'll behave. Sorry about that. Sweet dreams, Edward._

**Skeletor17: Only behave for now, Bella. When we're in the same time zone, you can be as naughty as you want to be and I'll keep right up with you. My dreams will be very sweet, now. Goodnight, Bella.**

_BlueBel22: Goodnight, Edward._

He logged off and so did I. I sat at my desk for who knows how long, just staring dreamily at the chat box. I was talking to Edward Cullen. There was no doubt about it now. And he liked me. Dreams could come true. For once in my life, I had living proof of that. Did I dare to wish for more? Or was that being too greedy? I had to do more than talk to him though. I just had to. One dream came true, perhaps another could too.


	13. Vow

I don't know how long I sat staring at my computer, reading and rereading his words to me, confirming for myself over and over again that I was indeed talking to Edward Cullen. It was like some romantic comedy movie. These things just didn't happen in the real world and they certainly didn't happen to me. No, I got the Lifetime Movie treatment, not the Silver Screen dream movie starring someone like Katherine Heigl or Reese Witherspoon. I was supposed to be Nancy McKeon being betrayed by her abusive lover.

"I don't hear typing! Are you done talking to him?" Rose's voice jarred me from my trance and I walked over and unlocked my door. She pushed past me and dove onto my bed, tossing a fortune cookie at me. It bounced off my chest and fell to the floor.

"Um, thanks." I bent and picked it up, opening the crinkly paper and snapping my cookie in half. "Yeah, he had to get some sleep before his flight."

 _A friend is a present you give to yourself._ That fortune worked for me. Edward was my friend and a hell of a present. At least, I wanted him to be.

"I've gotta tell you, Bella. Even though I was mostly sure it was him, the fact that it really is him…it's surreal. I can't wrap my head around it." She shook her head in bewilderment. "I've been checking your door every five minutes so we could talk."

I snickered and dropped down next to her on the bed. "You can't wrap your head around it? What about me? Do you know the things I've said to Edward Cullen? I mean, if I met him on the street I'd probably trip over my tongue and stutter a few times. Oh, and drool. I'd be a drooling mess that he would feel sorry for. He'd probably pat my head and direct me to the short bus or something."

Rose shook with laughter. "But you always thought he was Edward."

"Hoped. There's a difference. I think if I'd known for sure it was him, I would have had performance anxiety."

"You've done great. He obviously likes you. What all did he say?" She squinted at the screen and I closed my laptop. I didn't mind sharing with her, but I wanted to keep some pieces of him all for me.

"Hey!" she protested.

"You already saw some. We didn't cyber or anything."

"Close enough," she grumbled. "Okay, okay, just tell me how you left it."

I leaned back against my headboard. "Well, I did nearly screw everything up."

"What?" She sat up and faced me, her legs tucked underneath her. "How?"

"I said something like I was glad I found him and he asked me how I managed that, if it was random or what?"

Rose's eyes widened. "What did you say?"

I sighed and shook my head. "I told him that I had a thing for He-Man and that fate stepped in." God, I felt like shit for lying to him.

"Shit. Well, it was kind of fate. I mean, what were the odds of actually finding Edward Cullen? A million to one? Ten million? However many people play the game to one, that's the odds. So, you might have gone looking but luck and superior knowledge let you find him. That's fate, sort of."

Yeah, but would he see it that way? Or would I just be another crazy stalker that he ran away from when all was said and done? "That's how I tried to justify it but…"

Rose took my hand and squeezed it. "No buts, Bella. That guy likes you. Edward Cullen likes you. So what if you're a fan? He knows you went to his movie, so he can't exactly be surprised that you're a fan, right? Maybe he can be annoyed that you looked for him and found him, but he's gotten to know the real, fabulous you and that's really what matters in the end."

"Will he see it that way, though?"

"Maybe. I guess it depends on how you tell him. You are going to tell him at some point, right?"

I shrugged. "Well, I suppose if we're ever going to be anything more than internet friends, it would have to come up."

"Well, definitely tell him before he tells you. You'll know when he's getting ready to reveal who he is. I doubt he'd just sign his name at the end of an email or something. He'd have to say, hey, baby, got some news for you. You know that Edward Cullen guy you're so hot for? I'm him!"

Trust Rose to make me laugh when I was worrying about losing Edward when I'd just gotten him. Not that I really had him, of course, but we were friends or something. Friends who flirted heavily. Friends who implied they wanted to have sex with one another, amongst other exploratory activities.

"Alright, I'll try to find a way to tell him I know it's him, before he tells me it's him. And that's a weird ass sentence. He's turning me into Alice with these nonsensical words."

Rose grinned. "But at least you're not bragging about how Edward is going to whisk you away to Hollywood and turn you into a famous actress."

I laughed. "That'd be the day. If they need someone to flub their lines and stutter, well, I'm the perfect choice. I'll just hang behind the scenes, thank you."

She smirked. "So you think he'll take you to Hollywood?"

As if. "Sure, Rose, he's going to whisk me away to his mansion and we'll throw fancy dinner parties with Brangelina and TomKat. Wait, scratch that, Tom Cruise is not invited to my house."

"Hey, weirder shit has happened."

"Oh, really? Such as?"

Rose frowned and then her face cleared. "That Bristol Palin chick got on not one, but three, reality shows. Getting knocked up at seventeen is the new road to reality."

"We missed our shot. Nobody would care about pregnant twenty-two year olds."

"Bite your tongue, missy. One of us is getting laid, literally. And you could be having Edward Cullen's virtual babies in a few months." I smacked her arm as she laughed herself silly. "You could call him Chip."

"You're such a dork. I don't know what Brady sees in you."

She struck a model pose. "Don't you?"

"Yeah, yeah, gorgeous one, I know what he sees." Actually, he better see a hell of a lot more than her looks. She's one of the most incredible people I've ever met. Who else could I tell about this Edward thing? Alice would be jealous and pester me endlessly to hook her up with one of his friends. Granted, Rose wanted his brother but it's not like she brought it up every five minutes like Alice would.

"So how'd you leave it?" Rose asked, watching me carefully.

I felt myself smiling again. My emotions were all over the damn place. I was turning into a crazy person. "He said he needed to get some sleep before heading to Germany and that he'd be back in California in a week, so we could chat again in the same time zone."

She grinned and nudged me. "See? He obviously loved talking to you. Don't stress over telling him. Just have fun getting to know the guy. That's what you wanted, right?"

"Yeah, but now I want more. Which is wrong of me, isn't it? And stupid? I mean, this isn't one of his movies."

Rose laughed. "Who's to say? You'd be a billion times better than his last co-star. I bet he'd agree, too."

"Well, I'm less of a bitch, for sure, but she probably takes me on talent and looks."

Rose kicked my leg. "No. She looks like an ice queen. You're just as beautiful and you're real. There's no contest."

I smiled. "Thanks, Rose."

"Look, Bella. You've found a cool guy who is most likely a gorgeous, rich, movie star. Just enjoy it for awhile. We'll worry about the fallout if and when it comes. Hopefully he'll be so crazy about you by the time it comes to true confessions that he won't even care."

"Since when are you an optimist?"

She grinned. "Since my best friend beat billion to one odds and found Edward Cullen in an online game."

I laughed. "A billion to one now? You're making it less likely?"

"It doesn't matter what the odds were, you did it. And if you can do that, then you can do anything. He already likes you, Bella. Just roll with it."

"Alright, I will."

"No more worrying about ifs and whens. Just have a little fun. You more than deserve it after all you've been through this year."

That was true, I supposed. "I just don't want to lie to him."

"So, if he asks you if you know who he is, then tell him. Otherwise? Get to know the guy. All you know is what you've read. He's clearly showing you another side already. And hopefully he'll show you all of them in the flesh eventually." She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"Perv. I'll enjoy it while I can."

"That's all I ask. Now, I'm going to go diffuse some of the hotness I glimpsed when I looked at your message with Brady. And I won't be coming in again, so feel free to get out your toy and do what you lied to me about earlier. You're positively pathological these days."

I poked her side and she squealed and got off the bed. "Just calling it like I see it."

"Just don't imagine Edward and me while you're doing Brady."

She laughed. "Maybe I will. It's definitely a hot image." I couldn't deny that but ew.

"Gross."

"You have your fantasies and I'll have mine. We can compare them later." She ducked as I threw another pillow at her. "Sweet dreams, Bella."

They would be. Starring Edward Cullen. Life was amazing sometimes.

Xoxoxoxox

I woke up to a typically rainy Seattle morning, but nothing was going to rain on my parade. Not when I was talking to the one and only Edward Cullen. I grabbed my phone immediately and pulled up my email to see if he'd written to me and yes! Email from Skeletor17.

**Bella,**

**Good morning, sleepyhead. Actually, I'm the sleepyhead. Three hours of sleep does not a happy man make, usually, but I was in a very good mood this morning thanks to my early morning chat with a lovely co-ed. I can't tell you enough how good it was to talk to you. This trip has been more of a nuisance than I thought it'd be but you've brightened it considerably.**

**I hope you don't mind me emailing you. I know we mentioned it but I don't want you to think I'm intrusive or annoying and I certainly don't want you to get tired of me.**

**I don't have long to talk but I just wanted to let you know that I was thinking of you and that I'm very glad that fate stepped in and brought you into my life. I really wish this plane was heading to Washington. Maybe someday?**

**You have a good day and hopefully I'll talk to you soon. Oh, I left you some responses over on Words as well. I really should have read your responses last night but then I wouldn't have gotten those few hours either. You do know how to get a man going, don't you? At least this one! And once again the bell is ringing and I have to get in a crowded airplane. Terrible timing. You are trouble, but the best kind.**

**Looking forward to your words,**

**Edward**

Was I breathing? No, I was not. I let out my breath in a whoosh of air. As if I could ever get tired of him? Who could get tired of sweetness like that? I loved that he could be the embodiment of sex one minute and a big ball of mush the next. I needed him in my life, even if it was only through his words. They were beautiful to me.

_Edward,_

_First of all, I could never tire of you. You can leave me messages on email, on Words, via text, in skywriting, in Morse code, etc and I will be quite content to respond to it all. Though I'd probably have to brush up on the Morse code. I think I only ever learned SOS and that was at my father's insistence. He's a worrywart like that._

_I woke up to rain but I didn't mind because I was full of thoughts of you. That's better than sunshine. Man, aren't I cheesy this morning? I'm going to send you running one of these days, I'm sure of it. But in the meantime, I'm glad to do whatever I can to make your travels better._

_Anytime you want to step foot on a plane to Washington, I'll be there to greet you. It's the very least I could do, and we both know I want to do a whole lot more than that! Hopefully you're reading my innuendo in privacy this time. I wouldn't want anybody else to see the effect that I have on you! That's for my eyes only._

_Now I'm going to go see what words you had to share with me on Words, and just how worked up you'll make me. Good thing I'm in bed wearing nothing but my favorite t-shirt. What do you wear to bed?_

_Have safe travels and I'll talk to you soon._

_Yours,_

_Bella_

And I am, Edward. Very much yours, any way you want me. I closed the email and opened up my Words app. Lief? Wasn't that a dude's name? Were we Vikings? I loved it.

**You need a cold shower? Somehow I think you can manage to walk around without everybody knowing just how turned on I've made you, while there's visual evidence as to my issues. And if people can see yours, well, you might want to get that checked out, just saying. Or are you lying to me about being a girl? I hate to think I've been talking to Bill instead of Bella.**

I snorted at that one. Me? Bill? Oh, Edward, I'll be happy to prove my femaleness to you any way you like.

**Don't be sad for me, Bella. My life is generally pretty good, and I've found much better ways of passing that alone time lately. You know just what those are. And your virtual company is better than most people's actual company.**

I could fall in love with him. It would not be remotely difficult to do.

**Did you know that I really, really like fast cars? I may have a few, but none of them sound nearly as interesting as the little blue car you mentioned. I really think I need to know more about it. Perhaps you could show it to me, sometime? You know, speaking purely as a car aficionado and not a perverted man that got hard as a rock at the mental image of what those wheels must do to you. I think my internet car searches are about to get a lot more interesting.**

I giggled helplessly. The car did rock though. And he was shit out of luck when he went to look for it. They'd discontinued them much to my utter dismay. Thank God I ordered multiples. They did break too easily, but were still totally worth it.

**If/when I come to Washington, I don't feel the need to sight see, unless it's with you. We both know the only reason I'd be there would be to see my favorite soon-to-be teacher. Speaking of that, why were all of my teachers old and wrinkly? I never had a hot twenty-something. I feel severely gypped by my education. You're just going to have to school me to make up for it.**

Oh, no problem, Edward. I'll teach you and you'll like it.

**I can't tell you about your punishment, for then you'll have time to prepare. I can only say that you'll enjoy it thoroughly and it'll involve my hands, which you seem to be quite fond of already.**

Why yes, I am. I want those hands, Edward. I want them to do all sorts of dirty things to me.

**Days of hand exploration? I guess I better free up some real time when I do visit, as I would hate to disappoint you.**

Like you could.

**Thank you for your sweet, and stimulating, words. If you're not getting an A in all your classes, your teachers are fools. You get an A from me, any day. I can't wait to talk to you again. Your turn.**

I got an A! What would it take to get an A+? Why not ask?

_I'll take your A and run with it, but how do I turn that into an A+? Is there any kind of extra credit I can do? Can it be the sexy kind? I'm not above putting out for a good grade._

Alright, I wasn't against putting out with Edward Cullen for a good grade. My real professors could suck it. They didn't get a piece of me, not that any had tried, thankfully.

_I am 100% female. I'd be happy to prove it to you. I can send you a picture or you could call me or, well, I don't know how else I'd prove it but just ask and I'll do it. So no, there are no physical signs like your yard stick, mind you, but I do tend to get flushed when I get excited. My roommate thought I was masturbating when she knocked on my door last night. I even tried to tell her I was so she'd go away but she knows me too well._

There, now he knows I get pink when I get excited. Though maybe that was a stupid thing to tell him, because God knows I'd be pink the entire time I was around him if it ever happened.

_You flatter me with your words, Edward. I'm glad that I've made your trip more bearable._

_Good luck searching out that particular little blue car. They don't make them anymore I'm just grateful that I stocked up on them before they were discontinued. I guess if you want to see it, you'll have to make that trip here. All this incentive I keep giving you. However can you say no? I would be more than willing to demonstrate why my car is superior to yours. Care to race?_

And I was getting hot again. He'd be reaching for that lotion right about this portion of the message. That thought made me giggle.

_I'll school you very well, Edward. I don't know why you didn't have any hot teachers when you were in school, but I'll gladly make up for it. I have no doubt that you could be my very best, very brightest student. And as I'm willing to bribe you for good grades, I'll let you know that you can do the same for me._

I'd be so easy to get an A from. A smile would probably do it. But I'd hold out for more if I could.

_You keep on taking very good care of those hands for me. I expect them to be strong and smooth and capable of giving me much pleasure. Are there hand exercises you could do to help with stamina? Talk to your yoga instructor about that ,will you?_

I giggled at the thought of that one.

_I hope your trip was safe and that you can sleep tonight. If not, find me. I'm all yours._

I flipped back to the game and studied my letters. Too bad there were no open o's or I would totally play wood. He'd be so pissed, and amused. Damn game, thwarting me. I could play raw, which was definitely hot or wow would be more points. Issues. Vow was the most points it looked like I could get. That was the one. Hopefully he wouldn't worry that I was thinking of wedding vows. Even I wasn't that delusional, though. I'd just settle for a visit. Anything more would be the stuff of fairy tales, right?

* * *


	14. Rub

"Bella, are you ready to go?" Was I? Where was I going? What was I doing? I shook my head and tried to focus on Alice, who was standing in my doorway tapping her foot.

"Um, what?"

"Class? Same place we go every day that's not Saturday and Sunday?"

Ahh shit, was it time? Yes, it was past time. Damn it. I'd been so busy thinking about Edward that I'd zoned out and lost about an hour. Lovely, Bella. Why not fail out of all your classes and hope that he'll take your pathetic ass in to live his own private teacher fantasy? Actually, that wouldn't be bad at all. That would be…

"Bella? Are you coming?"

I scrambled up and threw a sweatshirt on over my ratty t-shirt. The pants would do. I slipped on my shoes and grabbed my bag. "Ready!"

Alice eyed me as she walked toward the door with me. "Where were you? You looked like you were a million miles away."

Only a couple thousand. Or a few? How the hell far away was Germany? Too far, that much I knew. "Just woolgathering."

Alice giggled and hip-checked me. "Woolgathering? What are you? My grandmother? Who says that?"

I smirked. "English teachers, I guess."

"Well, time to focus. Chaucer is calling your name."

Ugh. He could shut the hell up and let me hear the beautiful voice of Edward calling my name instead. Edward calling…I wondered if we'd ever talk on the phone. Maybe he'd think that I'd know who he was if I heard his voice. And I would. I could pick that voice out of a crowded restaurant; I had no doubt of that.

"Hello, earth to Bella? Have aliens abducted my best friend?"

I shook my head and tried to focus, yet again. This was bad. I'd been talking to him for a week and I barely knew him at this point. I had to stop drifting into dreamland.

"I'm here. Did you say something?"

She rolled her eyes. "Did I say something? Glad to see how well you pay attention to me."

I laughed and ruffled her hair which caused her to scream and throw her hands up over her head. "You've got 100% of my attention now."

"Humph. I don't want it if you're going to mess up my hair. You know that Jared has class at this time." No wonder she looked so dressy. It was a bit early in the morning for mini-skirts and boots. I couldn't completely see her top but it was blue and I could see some skin.

"Is that why you look like you're ready to go clubbing?"

She huffed and adjusted her leather jacket. "I do not. There's nothing wrong with looking good."

"You mean there's nothing wrong in showing him what he's missing."

Alice laughed. "Yeah, that too. He can fantasize about me while chasing after his precious Kim. I'm so over him."

I didn't point out that if she were over him, she'd hardly be dressing to show him what he was missing. Some things were not worth getting into. "That's good," I murmured, bracing myself for what was surely coming.

"I mean, it's not like I don't have someone way better already. Okay, so we haven't technically met, but I know him well enough to know that he's the one, you know?"

No, I did not know. And that was a whole lot of knowing without knowing. "Sure, Alice."

Her grey eyes pinned me. "Do you think it's possible to meet your soul mate over a game? I mean, it happens all the time these days right? People start chatting on the computer or whatnot and then they meet and fall in love, except that I'm falling already. Is that weird?"

What to say to that? No, it's not possible even though I'm pretty much feeling like I could fall hard for Edward if I let myself? Then again, I know who he is. She has no idea who her guy is, even if she thinks she does. But still, I could answer her question without pointing that out. I really hated keeping things from her but right now I kind of had to. She'd lose her shit if she found out I was talking to Edward and she wasn't.

"It happens a lot, from what I hear."

"Exactly! Those e-Harmony places make big money! This is just another way of meeting someone. And when you know, you know."

There she was with the knowing again. Why didn't she know that she was talking to a child? No, we weren't going there again. She knew my take on it.

"I suppose you do, though there's something to be said for physical attraction." I was madly physically attracted to Edward Cullen. There was no doubt about that. Just the thought of his gorgeous face, that sexy smile and that long, lanky body made me shiver. What would he think of me though? What would he say to my picture comment? I'd made it without really thinking of the fact that I could be boxing him into a corner. How could he ask for mine and I not ask for his? Damn it, Bella, think.

See, that was the thing that sucked. I knew who he was; at least I was 99.9% certain it was him. He didn't know I knew and he felt comfortable sharing some things, but nothing specific with me, which made total sense. But did he wonder why I didn't ask certain things? It was hard to know what was right to push on and what wasn't. Like the college thing. He'd made it clear he hadn't gone, but I hadn't asked why. And the work thing. I knew he traveled, of course, but I never asked what he did. Should I? Did I want to make him lie to me? Or would he come out and tell me the truth? It was just a tough balance to walk.

"You are really a space cadet today. Did you stay up too late last night or something?" Alice was looking at me with concern. Shit, again with the focus.

"Not too late. My mind is just wandering, I guess."

Alice reached over and felt my forehead. "Well, you don't feel warm. Are you sure you feel okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Just thinking."

"Thinking about what?"

Crap. "School, grad school, finding jobs, and all that stuff." It was sort of true. I had just thought about failing out of school and becoming Edward Cullen's personal sexy times teacher. See, not a lie. Rose was right. I was turning into a pathological liar these days. I managed to justify them all as non-lies by twisting them around. I suck. But I'd rather suck than not be talking to Edward Cullen. So be it.

"Don't sweat it! We've got some time to worry about jobs and you're doing great in your classes." That was a matter of debate. "Relax and have a little fun, Bella."

"Did I hear you request some fun? I'm available." Uh oh. Jared slung an arm around Alice's shoulder and she stiffened underneath it.

"You don't seem too available to me. Kimmy has your balls in a jar on her nightstand, doesn't she?" Alice asked, her voice laced with venom. Well, this should be fun, except not.

"Damn, woman, that was cold. And you of all people know that my balls are right where they need to be." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. God, he was dumb. He was lucky that his father owned his own company. I couldn't imagine anybody else hiring him.

Alice gave him a withering look that made me giggle. She was hilarious when she was mad. Luckily she was too busy being pissed at him to be pissed at me for laughing. "I knew where they were last weekend. Now, not so much."

"I'd be happy to show you. Let's ditch class." He tugged on her arm and she yanked it away.

"As if I'd sleep with you again? After you compared me to her? And I came up lacking! You listen and you listen well, Jared Walker. I take second place to nobody, especially not your skanky ex. If she's so perfect, just get back together with her!"

"Come on, Ali, it's not like that." His dark eyes pled with her to understand. Here we go again. "You know you're the girl I want. I said something dumb, I admit it. You're nothing like Kim. You're way better."

And that should do it. "Damn right I am." Yep, I was right. He had her where he wanted her. "But you realized that a little too late. I'm done with you."

"Great, baby, then let's go and…what?" Her words finally sank in. I couldn't blame him for not comprehending. I wasn't either. She always gave in when he used the puppy dog eyes.

"I said, I'm done with you." She over-enunciated the words, which was totally awesome. I wanted to clap but that probably would have been crass.

"Why? Is there someone else?" He stood straighter and his face got red. He was ready to go kick mystery guy's ass. Good luck with that, Jared. It'll take you a few days to get to Texas and the laws for beating a minor are a lot worse than beating up an adult, I imagine. I should ask Dad. No, too many questions. I was right, though.

"First, I don't have to have a boyfriend. I can just be tired of you without having someone lined up." True, but she'd never done that before. She ticked the points off on her fingers. "Second, yes, there is someone else and he's amazing. He would never compare me to his ex-girlfriend." Probably because he doesn't have an ex-girlfriend. Pimply twelve year olds rarely got any play. "Third, you never did anything to deserve me. It's time I got treated right." That was definitely true. I didn't know if the child could do so, but he probably had better game than Jared, which was just sad. He already sent her poetry. Yes, it was ripped off poetry, but that was more than Jared had ever done.

"Who is this jerk? I'll kick his ass for moving on my girl."

Alice jabbed him in the chest with her finger. It was hilarious because she barely came up to his chest. Rose was right; their sex life must have been interesting to watch. They should have had a National Geographic special.

"I'm not your girl. You never asked me to be your girl. You asked me to sleep with you when you were in the mood to get your rocks off. And that worked for me, for a time. Now it doesn't. You don't need to know who he is. Just know that you could never compare." She whirled on her heel and started to march away. "Bella, come on."

Oh yeah, I was just standing there staring at her the same way Jared was. That wasn't acceptable either. I hurried after her and noted the happy smile on her face.

"That was perfect. I looked hot as shit and I told him off! Is he still standing there?"

I knew she couldn't look back. That would diminish her point. I glanced over my shoulder and he was standing there with a dumber than usual look on his face. "Yeah. He's just staring at you. I think you shocked him. I think you shocked me, for that matter."

She laughed. "I put up with his shit for entirely too long because he's good in bed. I'd rather go it alone than deal with him any longer."

"Well, good for you, Alice."

She grinned. "Thank you. Meeting someone like my Edward, knowing there's perfection out there waiting for me, made me see that I should stop wasting my time on someone who clearly isn't worthy of me."

Which meant that if she wasn't talking to her pre-pubescent boy, she'd totally still be all over Jared's junk. "Would you have ended it if it weren't for your guy?" I refused to call him Edward. I had Edward. She didn't.

Alice scrunched her face up and shrugged. "I don't know. Eventually, yeah. I mean, I never thought he was the guy for me but we had a lot of fun when he wasn't being a dick. I just, I don't know, I feel like if I did anything with him it would hurt Edward. Almost like I'd be cheating on him. Crazy, right?"

Kind of. Then again, I really kind of hated the idea of Edward going out with anybody, even though I had no reason to feel that way. "Well, it's a bit weird since you don't even know his name at this point." She opened her mouth and I held up a hand. "I know, you want him to be Edward but all evidence points to the contrary. You need to just ask him."

She pouted and then shrugged. "Maybe I will." Sure she would. Like I had, she wanted to keep the illusion going.

We reached my building and I stopped. "See you after class?"

"Yeah, you wanna meet in the quad?"

No. Hopefully I'd have email from Edward and I needed wifi for my laptop. "Let's meet at Starbucks."

"Okay. I'm already starving anyway. See you there!" And she was off with a wave. She was crazy, but I loved her energy. Wish I had some. Coffee later was necessary, unless Edward sent me a little something to wake me up. He was better than a hit of caffeine any day.

Xoxoxoxox

I was up and out of my seat when the big arm hit the 6 on the clock above my professor's head. If he had a problem with it, I didn't hear him as I hurried out of the room and to Starbucks. I wanted to have time to check my mail and respond to it before Alice got there. It had taken all my strength not to check it from my phone during class. I was having enough trouble paying attention without reading his words while I was supposed to be listening to my teacher.

I got a grande coffee and a blueberry scone and hurried to a table, opening my laptop before I even sat down. It seemed to take forever to load but finally it was up and yes, I had mail. Just seeing his name made me grin like an idiot. Well, not his name. Skeletor's. Still awesome.

**Bella,**

**See how good you are to me? First you manage to keep me occupied when I'm alone in my hotel room and now you've given me something to learn while I'm there. Morse code can be our own special language. You wait. One of these days you'll open an email from me and see all these dashes and dots. You better call your dad and ask him to teach you more than just SOS, unless of course you want to be saved from me. That would make me sad, so I hope it's not the case.**

Oh, Edward, you silly boy. As if I'd ever want to be rescued from you. By you, yes. You could carry me to safety and then ravage me and…oops, wandering mind again.

**If you send me running, it'll be running in your direction. Silly girl, why would I possibly run away from you? I'm glad I wasn't the only grinning fool when I got up this morning. Maybe some people would think we're lame but it works for us, so why not?**

**Yes, I wisely waited to read your mail until I was alone, not that I wasn't sorely tempted. I may have checked my phone the moment we touched down in Berlin. You know, just to see if you'd gotten up in time for class and whatnot.**

I snickered at that one. Sure, Edward. Just like I reach for my phone when I'm only half awake to check the time.

**Do tell me about this favorite t-shirt. What is it? Is it long? Does it cover all the good parts, or just part of them? See, it was a very good thing I didn't read your words until I was alone, because now I'm picturing you in a t-shirt that barely skims your thighs and…well, let's just say you have very nice legs and leave it at that for the moment.**

Must we? I need to know what you'd do if you saw me in my t-shirt, Edward.

**For putting that picture in my mind, I'll answer your question with this. I sleep completely naked. Do with that what you will.**

Do with that what I would? I wanted to do all sorts of things with that, things that I could not do in damn Starbucks while I was waiting for my friend. It was hot. Why was I drinking hot coffee? I should have gotten iced coffee. Dumb, Bella. You know what he does to you!

**Thank you for your wishes for good travels. I made it. Another day closer to being home and being closer to you. I can't wait.**

**You're mine, huh? Well, then, I guess I'll say this:**

**Yours back,**

**Edward**

MINE! Yes! Be mine, Edward. Be all mine! And hurry up and come home to me. Or home to California, I guess, but closer to me. He turned me into a pile of goo. I glanced at the clock. Alice would be here soon. Time to reply if I didn't want to wait and I most certainly didn't.

_Edward,_

_I am pretty incredible, I must admit. Haha. Just kidding. I'm all too happy to give you something to do when you're alone in that hotel room. Well, I like giving you other things to do, having to do with lotion, but learning Morse code would be an okay way to spend your down time. Down time, see what I was doing there? Yes, I am a dork sometimes. You probably picked up on that already._

_We can be lame together. It's much more fun than being lame alone. And we'll be happy and lame. What's wrong with that? Run right over, Edward. I'll be waiting with open arms._

And mouth and legs. Don't forget about them.

_I'm so glad I'm not alone! I wanted to check my mail during class but I was having a hard enough time paying attention without having you on my mind. Not that you weren't already there, but if I knew what I was missing it would have been even worse. Or not. I don't know. At least I went to class, right?_

Though I would have forgotten all about it if Alice hadn't dragged me there.

_Mid-thigh is a good guess. It covers all the goods, seeing as I have two roommates. Though I do tend to move around in my sleep and more often than not it ends up twisted around my waist. I would follow your example and take it off but I did wake up to one of my roommates in my bed the other day. I'll let your mind go wherever it goes with that one in retaliation for you making me think of you naked while I'm sitting in a very crowded Starbucks. Naughty Edward!_

_I can't wait until you're closer either, though having you that close might kill me. So close, yet so far away. Still, being in the same time zone is something I very much look forward to._

_Mine, huh? I like it more than you can possibly know. Talk to you soon!_

_Your Bella_

"What are you so busy writing?" I jumped about a mile and slapped my laptop shut, thankful that I could get the email sent before Alice scared the life out of me.

"Nothing! I was just answering some emails."

She shot me a look as she slid into her seat and blew on her coffee to cool it. "Why are you so flushed? You are getting sick, aren't you?"

I shook my head. If she only knew! So stupid. Next time I'd wait until I got home to read, even though it would probably kill me. "No. It's just this sweatshirt is heavy and the coffee is hot and you know." Yeah, that was a lame explanation but oh well.

Alice watched me for a few moments and then nodded. "Okay, if you say so. But if you do start feeling bad, go home and get some rest. I can get you some medicine after my last class today."

I smiled. "Thank you, but really, I'm fine. I'll text you if I need something, okay?"

"Okay. Now, guess why it took me so long to get here?"

Had it taken her a long time? I'd been in an Edward haze. "Why?"

"Jared was waiting for me when I got out of class! What part of no does he not understand? Are all the Sig Ep guys' stalkers? We know Mike is, Tyler may as well have been and Jared's turning out to be one. We better warn Rose away from Brady."

"Tyler didn't stalk me."

"If you say so. He was always there, wherever we were. I think he was a stalker."

Huh. Maybe. "What did Jared say?"

"That he was sorry. He wants a second chance. Second? Hah! More like twenty second! He even asked if he could take me to dinner to discuss things. He's never done more than spring for a pizza that we could share from his bed. Ass." She huffed and snagged a piece of my uneaten scone. Forgot all about that one. I ripped some off for myself. She would eat it all if I let her.

"Are you going?"

"Hell no! I mean, I thought about it for a second, just to get a decent meal out of the guy for once, but I figure he'd annoy me by the time appetizers were served."

"That long?" I asked with a grin.

She giggled and slapped the table. "True! It's just not worth it anymore. I deserve better."

She did and if her mystery guy made her realize that, then more power to her. "Yes, you do."

"We need to motor if we're going to get to our next classes. Or are you going home?"

"No, I'm going to class." Words would have to wait until I got home. No way was I reading those messages publicly. His email had been bad enough.

"Let's go." She grabbed her cup and I slid my laptop back in my bag and took mine. It was going to be a long couple of hours until I could get home.

Xoxoxoxox

Two interminable hours later, I was finally home. I hurried into my bedroom, flinging off my sweatshirt and shoes and diving into bed as I pulled up my Words app. Arc? Well, we were near the end of our game. I had high hopes we'd start another immediately upon this one ending though. I opened up my messages, a smile already on my face.

**Why yes, Ms. Bella, you can most certainly do extra credit to get that A+. I have a lot of ideas on little things you could do to boost that grade of yours and all of it is the sexy kind. Hold on, I have to call the front desk to ask for more lotion.**

I was giggling already. God, I adored him and his well lotioned hands.

**I'm kind of sad you weren't masturbating when your roommate interrupted you last night. I mean, I'm glad you were talking to me, but the image of you touching yourself while talking to me is very hot. I guess it'd be hard to do while we were typing, though. Well, maybe someday, huh?**

Um, yes. Let's play together. We can Skype. Or you can call me. That would be so hot.

**I know you're a girl, Bella. I was just teasing. I'm not saying I don't want to see you. I definitely do. But I don't want you to feel obliged to prove yourself to me either. I trust you are exactly who you say you are. We agreed to be honest with one another, didn't we?**

My stomach flipped at his words. He trusted me. Should he? I wanted him to, but he didn't know what I knew. Would that change anything? Of course it would. I hope he can forgive me when I tell him.

**You'd be amazed at my Googling skills. But I did try and it didn't show up, so maybe you wouldn't be. I guess I'm just going to have wait until you show it to me. That's better than a Google search anyway. I have no doubt that yours is the superior car. I'd rather ride with you than race, though. How does that sound?**

Like worlds of win, Edward. Let's go for a ride.

**I promise I'll study very hard for you, Bella. You won't need any other students. You can teach me all day, and most importantly, all night long. I'll earn my extra credit at the same time you're earning yours.**

Hard. Yes, you will work hard, Edward. Very, very hard.

**I Googled hand strengthening exercises when my car search turned up fruitless. Between those and my self-pleasuring, I'm sure my hands will be plenty capable of giving you the attention you so richly deserve. Off to strengthen now. My lotion has arrived**

**Thinking of you.**

Gah. He was going to kill me with his words but what a way to go. My turn.

_So the German lotion shortage has begun! We're going to have whole nations after us by the time you get back to California. Totally worth it though. Now tell me what you'll have me do to get my A+. Are you difficult to please? I need explicit instructions._

Yeah, I was ready for him to get down and dirty. I needed more fodder for my fantasies and knowing what he wanted would get me off even better than my own imagination.

_We can touch while talking whenever you like, Edward. Obviously that would require some other form of communication. I'll let you decide when and if you're ready for it, but I can tell you that I am. See the above paragraph if you need clarification of that fact. And yes, it would be the hottest thing this side of us actually being in the same room with one another._

Undoubtedly. I was starting to crave him in a major way. It was ridiculous.

_We did agree to be honest with one another, this is true. I just wanted to put your mind at ease. There are a lot of weirdos out there and I wouldn't blame you if you worried about me being a forty-something, fat, balding dude who got his jollies by messing with other dudes. I bet that ruined your hot images from earlier, didn't it? Sorry! But, well, one of these days you'll have an email attachment from me. It'll be safe to open. Whether you want to reciprocate or not is up to you. No pressure._

That was good. No pressure. I already had a ton of pictures of him on my computer anyway. This way, we'd be sort of even, even if he didn't know it.

_I far prefer riding with someone than riding solo. I've been doing enough of that lately. You're invited to ride me anytime you like. Yes, I left out the word with on purpose!_

Stroke of genius on my part, if I did say so myself.

_Mutual extra credit? I like the sound of that. We'll both be teaching and learning at the same time. I can't wait to learn all about what you like and showing you what I do. Best class ever._

_Are you feeling stronger now? Perhaps after reading this, you'll have to do some more exercises again? I hope so. I know that I feel the need to turn the wheels to high speed and let myself fly. It'll be you I'm thinking of when I do. Just like you were thinking of me. I like that as a signoff. It's just as good as…_

_Yours, Bella_

I was hot and grinning and giggling and all around mess as I flipped back to the game. I just wanted to slap down a word and grab my car. Let's see. I really was running out of letters. I could play dub or drub or, well, what was better than rub? It fit in perfectly with our conversation. I played rub and imagined him doing just that. Yep, time for the toy. Let's both rub, Edward.

* * *


	15. Wet

"So, you really kicked Jared to the curb?" Rose asked in amazement. Alice and I had just recounted her triumph from this morning. I put the final touches on the salad I'd made while Alice dumped the noodles into the strainer. The spaghetti was ready.

"Yeah. I don't need his shit anymore. I've found somebody better." Rose's eyes met mine across the room and I gave her a silent shrug. Getting rid of Jared, whatever the reason, was the right move in my mind.

"And have you asked this somebody his name?" Rose asked, pouring us each a glass of red wine.

Alice scowled. "Not yet. I'm going to though. You both seem so convinced that he's not Edward Cullen but how do you really know?"

Rose raised a brow at that one and I shook my head. Hell no, I wasn't telling her how I really knew yet. It was kind of the perfect time, but no. It'd ruin any sense of pride she had in ousting Jared and well, I didn't want her to be pissed at me.

"The odds aren't in your favor, what with there being millions of players and him having a Texas number. So why not find out for sure who you're talking to?" Hell, I'd asked Edward for his name, even though I'd been afraid to give up the fantasy.

"I will. Soon. For now I'm just going to enjoy him." She poured sauce over the noodles and I took one of the plates over while she took the other two. "There's nothing wrong with having a little fun with a mystery man." I felt my face heating at that one and Rose snorted. I was having a lot of fun with mine. And I was dying to know what he'd have to say about my last message. Hopefully I hadn't taken it too far when I'd asked for specifics.

"No, it can be very freeing, can't it? Sending those words out to a complete stranger. You don't have to face them the next day. You can say anything, really," Rose mused. "Maybe I should hit the net and find someone to play with."

I laughed as I twirled the spaghetti around my fork. "Since when don't you say anything that's on your mind anyway?"

Rose flipped me off and swallowed her wine. "I filter myself. A little. I certainly don't go around telling everyone my dirtiest fantasies."

"How dirty?" Alice asked, her gray eyes gleaming.

Rose smirked. "I wouldn't want to get you worked up after you just dumped your boy toy. Maybe I'll tell you when you're getting laid on a regular basis."

"I think you've told quite enough," I informed her, spearing some lettuce with my fork. "I still have nightmares about last Halloween."

"Hey, it's not my fault you came home early! You were supposed to stay at the asshole's!"

"You have a bedroom, use it."

She grinned. "But the back of the couch is higher than my bed."

I grimaced as the image of Rose in her dominatrix costume and Royce bent over our couch filled my head. "I still say we should have burned that thing."

"I threw out the blanket he was on," Rose pointed out. "Knowing what I know now, I wish I'd hit him harder."

"Ew! Enough!" She was spoiling my sexy Edward high. "I'm going to lose my appetite."

Alice giggled. "It is pretty gross. Why'd we all date such pricks?"

"They were hot," Rose said sadly. "And we didn't know what dicks they were until it was too late. At least that was the case with Bella. I should have known. You did know, but you ignored it."

Alice nodded. "True, I did. The sex was just really great."

"Yeah, that helps. Or hurts, as the case may be." Rose grinned.

"Rose!" I whined. "I don't want to hear about your dom ways."

"It was just that one time, Bella. I'm not wearing black leather and cracking whips for Brady."

"Good." Though my mind immediately filled with that image. Ick. What if Edward was into that? I mean, we'd talked about punishment. I hope he didn't think I was into anything other than light spanking or whatever. No, he said he didn't. Sorry, Rihanna. You can keep the whips and chains. I just need sexy, soft but strong hands. Edward's hands. Yum.

"You're doing it again," Alice said, pointing her fork at me. "Are you sure you're not sick?"

Damn it. Focus, Bella. "I'm fine."

"No, you're a million miles away. What's wrong with you?"

I shot a look at Rose who was shaking with silent laughter. She knew exactly where my mind was wandering. I kicked her underneath the table.

"Just a lot on my mind."

"Wait a minute! It's not Tyler is it? Wouldn't this be your anniversary?"

Shit. What day was it? March 2nd. Oh, yeah. Well, it would be the anniversary of our first date, which was pretty much it for us. We'd been a couple from then on. "Huh, did you know I completely forgot? No, he's not on my mind, Alice. I swear."

She watched me closely. "Alright. But you'd tell me if it was? He didn't try to call you, did he?"

"No! God, that would be tacky. I swear. I had no idea that was even today. Your memory is clearly better than mine." I saw Alice glance at Rose. "What? What aren't you two telling me?"

"Shit." Rose pushed her chair back and walked into the kitchen. She opened the cupboard where the trash can was stored and reached inside, pulling out a bouquet of red roses. "These came for you. I threw them out. Maybe that was wrong but I didn't want him fucking with you. Not now. Not ever."

I stared at the flowers and then at her. "What? Those are from him? Why?"

She sighed and tossed the card on the table. I picked it up with shaking hands. "Bella, I'll never stop loving you. I wish things were different. You'll always be in my heart. Love, Tyler." I read it aloud slowly. I think I thought it would disappear if I read slowly enough. Or maybe it was a dream. Well, a nightmare really.

"Why? Why would he do this?"

"Because he's an ass," Rose snapped, throwing them back in the trash. "I'm sorry. Maybe I should have told you. I was here when they arrived. I thought they were from Brady at first but when I saw your name, well, I had to know. I thought maybe they were from…" she broke off as she glanced at Alice. "Somebody new. Somebody better. But, uh, they weren't." If only they were from Edward. But he didn't know my address. He didn't even know my last name.

I felt arms wrap around me and I leaned into Alice's embrace. "I'm so sorry, Bella. I say we drive to his house and kick his ass, and then show his wife that card."

I sighed and shook my head. "No. He has a baby due next month. I'm not going to hurt that kid. He or she doesn't deserve to know what an utter asshole their father is. Nor does she. She didn't do anything other than fall for him, just like I did. I was so stupid."

"You weren't stupid!" Rose shouted. "None of us suspected he was messing around. I don't think he honestly was, until last summer. He didn't deserve you. Please, please don't let this get you down, Bella. You've been so happy lately. Just remember the reasons why."

Right. Edward made me happy. Edward was everything beautiful and perfect in the world. Edward was…nothing but a dream. He wasn't going to come home from his trip and come to Washington to have hot sex with me, sex that was so hot that he'd be unable to leave my side. He wasn't going to fall in love with me and marry me and make pretty babies with me. I was an idiot. A ridiculous dreamer lost in a fantasy world.

I pushed away from the table. "I don't feel very good. Alice, I think you were right. Maybe I'm getting sick. I think I'll go to bed."

"Don't," Rose pleaded, grabbing my hand. "Don't let him upset you."

"I won't," I replied, squeezing hers before releasing it. "I just need a little time."

"Don't worry about your dishes. I've got them," Alice told me. Her eyes were impossibly sad. "I've got to go to study group but I'll check on you when I get home, okay?"

I managed a slight smile and a nod before going to my room. My laptop was on my desk and my iPhone was by my bed but I ignored them, laying down and burying my face in my pillows. Why? Why'd I have to get slapped with reality just when I was embracing a beautiful fantasy? This was my life though; an ex-boyfriend who'd gotten bored over the summer and decided to screw his old girlfriend. It sure wasn't a Hollywood fairy tale.

I wasn't going to cry. I wasn't crying anymore tears over him. That was done. It was just the reminder of what my life really was that was getting to me. Why was I even bothering to flirt with Edward? Nothing was going to come from it, other than me being disappointed when he got back to Hollywood and started dating whatever celebrity bimbette was the flavor of the month.

"That's it!" My door hit the wall with a bang and I looked up to find Rose marching over to my computer. "I will not allow you to wallow, Isabella Swan. I should have put those damn flowers in the garbage disposal." She opened the laptop and turned it on.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm reminding you of how much better you have it now."

I rolled my eyes. "Better? How exactly is my life better now?"

"You're talking, no; you're practically e-fucking Edward Cullen. How is that not better?" she yelled.

I looked toward the living room and she huffed. "Alice left. I let you wallow for exactly five minutes and now I'm here to remind you of the amazing fact that you are having a steamy, sexy electronic relationship with Edward Cullen."

I felt myself fighting off a laugh. Damn she was annoying. "Rose, it's just a fantasy. Even if he is Edward, it's not like I'll ever meet him."

"Says who? I've read the shit you've said to this guy, Bella. Any dude with a working dick would want to meet the girl who made it hard all the time. Now get the hell out of bed and get over here and answer his email, or I will."

"He wrote to me?" I scooted toward the edge of my bed.

"Of course he wrote to you." She scowled at me. "And it's taking everything I have in me not to read it. So get off your fine ass and get over here and talk to your man. A real man who happens to like you. Edward Cullen likes you. Whether you meet him or not, that's still worth a thousand dates with Tyler."

"It's not that I miss Tyler, Rose. It's that Edward's a dream. Why should I let myself care when it's going to go nowhere?" I already cared, far too much.

"Because it may go somewhere." She walked over and pulled me from my bed. "Take a chance, Bella. Show him who you are. He can't help but want you if you do."

"I'm not sending him a picture when I look like this."

She laughed and looked me over. "That's not what I was talking about. We'll take an awesome picture of you soon. I have an idea." Lord help me. "You know perfectly well that I mean for you to show him the woman that you are. Keep your flirt on, but give him a piece of you."

"I'm afraid to. What if he doesn't like me?"

"Then he's a fool. You've been more open with him than anyone else in recent months, haven't you?" I nodded. "Well, he hasn't gone running yet. Talk to the guy, Bella." She smiled as she walked out of the room. "And tell him you have great tits. He'll like that too."

I laughed and sank into my desk chair. "You're such a pain in the ass."

"Watch out or I'll get that whip out of my closet and show you what a pain in the ass I can be."

"Gross! Go!"

"No more wallowing. I'll be back to check on you." She closed my door and I looked at the unopened email from Skeletor17. The familiar itch to open it was there and I felt myself smiling. It was stupid to be this into him but I couldn't help myself.

"He's not Tyler." I said it aloud and clicked on the envelope.

**Bella,**

**I happen to think you're pretty incredible. I know you make me smile even when everything else around me is making me frown, which I think is pretty great. Lotion, Morse code, WWF…somehow you make all three much more entertaining than they are alone. Well, I don't know about Morse code, but how exciting can dashes and dots be by themselves? They're much better when coming from a sexy Washingtonian.**

Did I really make things better for him like he did me? No matter what, then, it would be worth it. Just to make Edward Cullen smile was a pretty big deal, right?

**Did you know that dork is a whale penis? My brother pointed that out to me the other day and then you went and used it in your email. This cannot be a coincidence, though I really don't think you'd have anything to do with a whale penis. If Ron Jeremy scares you, a whale penis would probably give you a heart attack.**

A whale penis? Where did he get this stuff? I was laughing, though. Edward Cullen was amazing.

**Are your arms really wide open for me, Bella? I admit, I could use a good hug after the week I've been having. Somehow I think a hug would not be enough, though. You might never get rid of me.**

Edward, don't taunt me. I would never want to let you go, if I could have you.

**It's a very good thing you went to class. I wouldn't want to have to punish you in a non-fun way! Skipping class is expressly forbidden. I have to suffer through my meetings. You need to do the same. Then we can commiserate and make each other feel better later. Sound fair?**

More than fair. I could think of a lot of ways to make one another feel better.

**Ahem. What was your roommate doing in bed with you? Are you going to tell me, or leave it to my sick, depraved mind? Because you know, I am a guy. Just saying. Though I'm kind of jealous that she (it is a she right?) was in bed with you instead of me. I really hope it was a she. Hmmm.**

He was jealous again. How cute was that? I forgot I hadn't worded my email to make it clear that I had girl roommates. Well, he knew Rose was a girl, but I could conceivably be living with a guy. If my father was dead and buried, that is.

**So you were thinking of my nakedness in the middle of Starbucks? Turnabout is fair play, my fair Bella. At least there was no physical evidence of your reaction, um, provided you had one of course. I'll try not to be offended if you didn't, but yeah, I will. Tell me you did. Lie if you have to.**

Please. Like the thought of Edward naked didn't already have me flushing. Why was he so good at making me forget that I didn't stand a chance with him?

**Well, my Bella, I should get some sleep, since you're not here to keep me up in more interesting ways. I look forward to your words in the morning.**

**Your Edward**

I traced my fingers over the line calling him mine. Stupid, foolish girl. Just enjoy it for what it is and don't let yourself get caught up in the idea of anything more than internet flirting. At best, you'll both get your rocks off over the phone or something, if he ever deigns to call you. And what was so wrong with that? A little sexy fun never hurt anyone, unless I stupidly fell in love with the guy that didn't know I knew who he was. I wasn't that stupid. Sure I wasn't.

_Edward,_

_You're pretty incredible yourself, you know that? I had a pretty bad flash from the past tonight and when I logged in and read your email, well, you made me smile and laugh which I didn't think I was going to be doing anytime soon. So thanks for that._

_I could really use that hug, too. Did you know, well of course you don't know, duh, you don't know me, but anyway…apparently today would have been my three year anniversary with the ex. Not that I remembered. I actually had a perfectly good day, except for the hot flashes in Starbucks, that yes, were real. You had to know that thoughts of you naked would do things to me._

_See, thoughts of you naked got me off track again. Anyway, everything was fine but tonight I come home and one of my roommates (both of whom are girls, thank you) showed me the roses that she'd thrown in the trash. She was trying to protect me and keep me from getting upset, but honestly, I'm not upset that we're not together anymore. I'm upset that he's an asshole who thinks that it's okay for him to send me roses on our non-anniversary when he's married and expecting a baby any day now with the girl he cheated on me with. Who does that? More importantly, how did I date a guy that would do something like that? What if the roles had been reversed and I was the one with the big baby belly while he was sending love notes to exes saying he wished things were different and he'd always love them?_

_Is it wrong to be thankful that I dodged that bullet? She's stuck with him but I'm pretty sure she loves him. Hopefully he'll stick with her, despite his obvious assholish tendencies to stray. Wow, I just unloaded on you via email. Sorry about that. Maybe I'll go back and erase all that part before I send it._

Well, Rose had told me to let him know the real me. That, right there, was the real me. The girl who'd gotten dumped for the pregnant girl. Then again, I'd have dumped his ass if he tried to stay with me. Prick.

_I had heard that a dork was a whale penis, although I can't say that I retained that information. Thanks for bringing that back into my life and making me laugh._

_Who says I would want to get rid of you? Unless you plan on knocking up an ex, you're already a leg up on the most recent guy in my life. Well, who am I kidding? You're head and shoulders above him. So no, Edward, were I lucky enough to get the chance, I wouldn't let go._

Back to dreaming. Wishing, more like. That was less destructive than actually pretending it could happen.

_I will happily commiserate with you. As you can see, I need some tonight. I probably should have waited to send this email until I was in a better frame of mind. Maybe I should have read your WWF instead? God knows that gets me going. Well, maybe you'll get a happier me there. The many sides of Bella. Maybe you were right to call me Sybil early on in our chatting. It feels oddly fitting today._

_The roomie was in bed with me for non-sexy purposes, I assure you. We'd had a fight and she wanted to make up with me, so she crawled into my bed and waited for me to awaken. Kinda freaky when you think about it. I wish I would have woken up to you instead. Even if you were staring at me, creeper style, it would probably still be okay._

_Sweet dreams, Edward. I wish I were there to make them sweet realities, but we're stuck with this, not that I'm complaining. I'll talk to you soon._

_Your Bella_

To send or not to send? That was the question. What harm could it do? He'd know me a little better now, I guess. And if it sent him running, well, that was par for the course, right? I hit send. Maybe he'd feel bad and offer to fly to Washington to give me that hug. Haha, sure Bella.

Now to see if he could get me all hot and bothered like he usually did. That'd be a much better way to end the night than this whiny, bitchy mood I was in all of a sudden. Even if we were nothing more than online sex friends, at least it was something, right? I threw myself on my bed and grabbed my phone.

Tin? I glanced at my letters and holy shit. Holy shit! I had the perfect word. I didn't even bother to wait to play it. Wet it was! Rub and then wet. For having few letters, it was amazing what I could make them do. And I was totally going to win. Win all around.

**I'm willing to face the wrath of nations so long as I get to have your naughty words spurring me on. Some things are worth the sacrifice, Bella, and you're one of them.**

Gah! Melting.

**I am extremely easy to please, or so it seems when it comes to you. Your words get me hard almost embarrassingly easily. I'm afraid that I'm going to hear the name Bella in public and like Pavlov's dog, my yard stick will rise for everyone to see. I can't regret it though.**

Hehe. Edward Cullen Caught with Boner! Photo inside! I would so buy that magazine.

**Bella, Bella, Bella. What am I going to do with you? You're making it awfully hard for me to stop being a gentleman (well, I'm sure my mom would argue that I've not been one at all when it comes to you) and tell you exactly what you seem to want so badly to know.**

**You want to know that I want to bend you over and spank your pretty ass for taunting me, for making me hard multiple times a day? And then I want to slide my dick inside you and make you scream my name while I take you from behind on your teacher's desk. Is that what you wanted to know, Bella? That's just one of the many fantasies I've indulged in since you came into my life. What about you? Fair's fair.**

Oh. Oh my God. Yeah. Wet was the right word. Holy shit, the image that put in my mind. Edward Cullen was clearly the remedy to my shitty evening. What had I been upset about? So what if he was just a fantasy. He was a damn good one.

**I think we'll have to talk about this hands free talking when I get back in the same time zone. I don't know yet what we'll do, but to say I would enjoy sharing a fantasy with you real time is an understatement.**

Understatement of the century.

**I would never turn away from an email attachment from you, Bella. I'll take anything you want to send me. You should know that by now! It would give me something to ride solo to, wouldn't it? Until I could ride with you, that is.**

You're taunting me now, Edward.

**My hands are perfectly strong and these thoughts mean that I'm going to be working them again shortly. You have nothing to fear, Bella. Thoughts of you and that little mystery toy keep me going.**

**Talk to you soon,**

**Edward**

Oh man. From the lowest of lows to the highest of highs. This guy really could make me fly. Time to let him know that.

_Did you read my word, Edward? What did you think of it when you did? Because I'll have you know, a few words from you and that's exactly what I was. Wet. Especially when you mentioned the desk and spanking and then, well, let's not pretty it up, fucking me from behind. That just so happens to be one of my favorite fantasies starring you._

Definitely ranked right up there. There was also a limo ride to the Academy Awards, which I really couldn't mention, a hot tub, his mansion, in the quad in front of the entire student body and…yeah, that was the one.

_You know, all your talk of flying made me wonder if you were a member of the mile high club? I admit, I've imagined the two of us in that cramped little bathroom, barely able to move but oh so close. Me, perched on the sink, you standing and thrusting into me with a whole plane full of people clueless. Or maybe knowing? That's part of the fun of it, isn't it?_

Good God, I was sweating. I really needed the proverbial cold shower now. I'd never had to take one of those in my life, well other than when I'd been sunburned and that had been more lukewarm. This was a way better reason though.

_I suspect the German lotion supply is about to get more dire now. I hope you're truly ready to face them, Edward. It would be sad if you couldn't get back to me, or at least my time zone. You have to want that hands free now, don't you?_

_I'm glad you to hear you'll look at my attachment. I do hope you'll like what you'll see. Maybe I'll surprise you with something soon. I promise It won't be x-rated. There are some things I just wouldn't do!_

You never knew, in this day and age, where your stuff would end up. I had nightmares about my father finding out his daughter had dirty photos on the web. No thank you.

_I'm very glad to hear about those strong hands of yours, Edward. They'd have to be in order to lift me into some of the positions I dream about. I'll leave you with that._

_Your very turned on Bella_

Well, the night had certainly ended on a lot better note than it had begun. Rose was right. Edward did it for me. Whether he'd ever do it to me or not remained to be seen, but I was damn well going to have fun with him in the meantime. Fuck Tyler. No, fuck Edward, that was a much more pleasant thought.


	16. Tilted

My night was filled with a combination of dreams and nightmares. The dreams starred Edward, which was little surprise after the words he'd left me. My nightmares starred Tyler and a bunch of screaming babies. They were my babies and that scared the shit out of me. It was hardly a restful sleep. I woke up in a pretty foul mood made worse by yet more rain. Seriously? Could the sun ever shine for me?

I closed my eyes but before I could go back to sleep, there was a knock on my door. "Bella?"

Rose. Naturally. She'd left me alone for the rest of the night which probably killed her. "Yeah?"

She opened the door and peered in at me. Her hair was still tousled and she was wearing her favorite nightshirt. Clearly she hadn't been up for long. "Are you okay?"

I sat up and shrugged. "I had a shitty night's sleep, but other than that I'm okay."

She sighed and crept in to sit on the corner of my bed. "Didn't Edward help at all?"

Help? That was the understatement of the century. I felt myself smiling as I answered her. "Yeah, he really did. His email was great and his WWF…" I broke off and tried to control the flush I felt spreading over my body.

Rose's eyes lit with interest. "Oh really? His WWF was what exactly?"

"I asked him to get specific on his fantasies and he did."

"No shit? What did he say?" She wasn't going to let me go without specifics on the sexy stuff. I knew that.

"He said he wanted to spank me and take me from behind on my teacher's desk." I felt my blush getting darker.

"Holy shit." Rose fanned herself dramatically. "Edward Cullen wants to bang you over a desk? This is too perfect. Too perfect with what I have planned!"

Now that was scary. "What do you mean, what you have planned?"

"For your picture, silly!"

"You're not taking a picture of me bent over a desk, Rose."

She laughed hysterically and smacked my bed with her hands. "Oh, God. I love that. Can you imagine him opening a picture like that? He'd die! But no, that wasn't quite what I was thinking of."

"What were you thinking of?"

"You'll see. I've gotta pick up a couple of things and we'll take it this afternoon while Alice is at class."

Great. She wasn't going to spill. That I could see. "It's not perverted, is it?"

Her eyes twinkled and she shook her head. "Not exactly, but it'll be great fodder for the theme you two have going. Now, did you do what I said and open up to him a little?"

I thought of my email and nodded slowly. "Yeah. I don't know if it was a good idea but I told him what had upset me and about Tyler knocking up Lauren and the flowers."

"Good." She reached out and took my hand. "He needs to know that you're more than just your words. You've got a big heart and you've been hurt. He needs to be careful with you. If he's not, I don't care if he's Edward Cullen, I will kick his ass myself."

I laughed. "If you could get to him."

She grinned. "Honey, I can get to anybody I want. All it takes is a little of this…" she gave me her sexiest smile, "a whole lot of this…" she jutted her breasts forward. "And a little of my patented bitchy attitude. It all combines to go a long way."

I couldn't doubt her. "I'll keep that in mind if I ever need to hunt him down."

"Good girl. Now, go see what your man has to say and I'll meet you at 4 PM sharp." She got up and handed me my laptop before heading out of the room. "Oh, and make sure you have two number two pencils."

Number two pencils? What was she having me do? Take a test? "Rose, what the hell is that for?"

She just grinned and waved before closing my door. Damn her and her mysterious ways. I flipped open my laptop and let it boot up. My stomach was flipping around a little bit. Hopefully I hadn't revealed too much or frightened him off. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw he'd replied, though the butterflies didn't abate as I opened it.

**Bella,**

**I wish there was something I could do to make things better for you, beyond sending you this email. I won't lie, the first thing I wanted to do when I read your email was give you that hug we're both sorely missing. The second thing I wanted to do was find the jerk that hurt you and make him sorry he'd tried to contact you again.**

**You ask me how you could have dated someone like him and I wish I could give you an answer. I really wish I knew. Sometimes we only see what we want to see when we're with someone. We hope for the best and sometimes we get it. Other times, we get the worst.**

**My situation wasn't quite the same as yours, but I felt like a fool after it was over, too. Why didn't I see it? I walked in on her with another man, another co-worker no less, and it was the cliché moment that you always see in movies and TV shows. Everybody freezes. I fully expected her to say it wasn't what I thought it was but do you know what she said to me instead? She asked if I'd like to join in. No lie, Bella. She was fucking someone else and then invited me to join the party. Who does that?**

**Needless to say, I turned her down harshly. That was all it took to unleash a side of her that I'd never seen before. She'd seemed like such a sweet person and we'd had a lot of fun. I can't say that I was in love with her, but I can say that I liked her a lot and thought we were great together. She didn't see it that way, though. She insulted me, my manhood, my family and pretty much everything she could think of, all while naked with another guy's dick in her, mind you. Then she told me she was only with me to advance her career. I'm no fool and I know that's a possibility, particularly when you date a co-worker, but it cut to hear it you know?**

That fucking whore. How could she do that to him? She fucks around and then has the balls to insult him while some other guys' dick is inside her? God, give me the opportunity to punch her too perfect face one day and I will take it.

**I guess my point is that we've all had relationship crap, some of us worse than others. While I think your ex is a pure asshole for sending the card to you, I can see why he'd have a hard time letting go of you. You're smart, witty, sexy as hell, funny and you're a good person, Bella. I can see all that in only a short time and he dated you for a long time. He was a fool to cheat on you and it's pretty clear that he knows that. Try to think of it that way and feel sorry for the girl who's stuck with him, because I know that she doesn't measure up to you and so does he.**

I wiped away the tears that his words brought to my eyes. How could he be so wonderful? Did he really see all of that in me? God, Edward, I want to hug you so bad it hurts.

**I'm very glad you dodged that bullet, as you wouldn't be here with me now. Well, in a matter of speaking anyway. And I'm also glad you sent this email to me. I like getting to know you better. And you're not Sybil. You're Bella and I like all sides of you. The good and the bad stuff all serves to make you the girl that I enjoy. How about we do this? In every email, we'll share something personal about our lives, our families, whatever. We can save the X-rated stuff for WWF, which is, after all, where you started getting naughty in the first place.**

I grinned at that. Naughty on WWF indeed, Cullen. You're the one that took it to the new level. Not that I'm complaining.

I loved his idea. We could get to know one another through email and leave the sexy stuff to WWF. As long as we still got the sexy stuff. I couldn't live without out it already.

**Now, let me see, what to share? I have an older brother who actually lives with me back in California. Not that he couldn't afford to live on his own, but I think he just likes having me to hang out with. We're pretty close, although he tends to be the wilder of the two of us. As you know, he told me a dork was a whale penis the other day. So that should give you a hint of the kind of person that he is. He's a troublemaker but he's my best friend, too. I was pretty nerdy growing up (if the He-Man stuff didn't clue you in) and he always defended me from bullies. Did you have anybody like that growing up? Or now?**

Alice and Rose. That was an easy answer. Ali growing up, Rose now. They always had my back.

**I'm honored that you wouldn't mind if I was staring at you creeper style. That's oddly nice to hear, I think. And while a part of me is sad that your roommate was not in bed for some girl on girl action, most of me is actually glad to hear that.**

**I wouldn't let you go either, Bella. You're already the best part of my day. I hope my words made you see just how great I think you are. Keep your chin up and I'm here if you want to talk.**

**Yours, Edward**

The best part of his day? How cool was that? Maybe, just maybe I wasn't going to run him off. And maybe I could let myself dream again. If everything he said was real, then I must mean something to him.

_Edward,_

_I can't begin to tell you what your email meant to me. I was afraid that I'd unloaded too much on you and that you'd hate me for it, but here you are making me feel a million times better about myself instead. Thank you, truly. You made me feel better last night without even knowing what had happened, and now that you do, well, you blow me away with your kindness._

_I like the way you looked at my situation and I really hadn't thought of the fact that maybe I should look at it as almost a compliment? That's not the right word, but I can't think of what it is. I do like the idea that he regrets cheating on me and maybe that he's not over me as well. Not that I don't want him to be, but it makes me feel better than if he thought I was nothing and sought to replace me, I guess. Either way, I'm not going to let him get me down anymore._

_Since you were honest with me, I'll be honest with you. I'd like to punch your ex in the face, or at very least call her a few choice names. I've never been in a physical fight in my life, but I'd like to think I could get in a good shot and we both know I could get in some great verbal slaps._

_I don't know how anybody could cheat on you, let alone turn it around and attack you the way you said she did. And she brought your family into it? I know we could both say you're better off without her but nobody really wants to hear that, even if it's true. She clearly didn't deserve you and my guess is she'll figure that out one day if she hasn't already. Too bad for her, though. She blew it!_

_I love the idea of sharing something new in each email! It sounds like you and your brother have a very cool relationship. I don't have any siblings, but I always had my best friend, Alice, growing up. We lived in a small town called Forks and I've known her since we were in pre-school. Now we're roommates. Our other roommate, Rose, is my other best friend and best defender. You don't want to cross her, let me tell you. She's the most beautiful woman I know but she's also the scariest. So, you know, don't upset me or she'll come after you. I'm kidding, except she did seriously say that._

I giggled. Maybe I shouldn't tell him about Rose wanting to kick his ass but it was kinda fun and I didn't think he'd mind. Tyler hadn't scared him off. Surely Rose wouldn't.

_Now what to tell you about me? I was pretty shy as a kid, with my nose always in a book instead of really out playing and such. Alice dragged me out now and then, but I've always been kind of introverted. Plus, my dad is Chief of Police in Forks and it always served to insulate me a little bit. I've learned to enjoy my own company very well, which is something I imagine you can relate to if you travel a lot._

I guess that worked for revelation number one. I didn't really have anything that interesting to say.

_I love that you think I'm the best part of your day. I hope it stays that way when you get home, but I understand if you're busy with your brother and life and all. I just want you to know that I'm very grateful for your friendship and I'm glad I found you._

_Yours, Bella_

There. That worked. I sent it and reached for my phone. Now I had to find out his reaction to my reply and the word I'd played. I opened my app and the screen popped up with his resignation. What? He resigned? Oh, but he'd started a new game. Thank God. I opened it and saw that he'd played hoard for a double word score. Not a bad start, Cullen, but I'm more interested in what you have to say about my last message.

**Wet? Yeah, there was no topping that one, Bella. Consider me killed dead. Damn. To read that word and then to read your reply? Yeah, the lotion shortage got out of hand. The people of Germany are cursing my name.**

Wet. Best word ever. God I hoped I got to play some good ones in this new game. And I would curse his name, in the best way of course. Like, Fuck me, Edward. Fuck yes, Edward. Etc.

**I love the thought that my fantasy made you wet. I have to tell you, I've thought of that one a lot ever since you mentioned being a teacher. Throw in the librarian stuff and I was a goner. I'm grateful that sharing my fantasy didn't scare you. I was afraid I was too blunt, but then you had to go and be even more so, didn't you?**

Yes, Edward, you can trust me to amp it up a notch each and every time. Let's call a spade a spade. We both know we want to fuck.

**Yes, I very much want to fuck you from behind. And forward. And sideways. Whatever way I could get you would be fine. And it just so happens that I have a lot of frequent flier miles, so we can check out that bathroom anytime you like.**

Jackpot. That was going to be tonight's fantasy then.

**I must admit, I've never done that before but who hasn't thought about it? Especially on a long, boring flight across the ocean. At least I know what I'll be thinking of on my flight back. Which means I'll need a blanket so everybody in the plane can't see the hard on that I'm sporting because of you.**

And that turned me on, knowing that he'd be hard thinking of me while he flew home. That's right, Edward, keep me on your mind and then come take me with your body.

**Are you a bit of an exhibitionist, my Bella? Do you want a plane full of people knowing that I'm fucking you in the bathroom? Because I have to admit, that makes me very hot.**

God, me too. I needed to get a fan or something for my room.

**As long as you lay off the cheese, I promise to lift you into any position that you like. My hands are quite strong and now they're smooth on top of it. I think you'd like the feel of them against your skin. Every inch of your skin.**

Gah. He was going to kill me dead now.

**I look forward to anything you want to send me, Bella, even if it's just your words. Naughty or otherwise. Talk to you soon.**

Oh, Edward, I'm going to give you so much more than my words. I flipped back to the game and looked at my letters. Hahah I could play titties if the game would take them but it wouldn't, of course. I settled for tilted off his d in hoard. 16 all. Nice start. Now to the important part.

_So, you liked that I played wet, did you? Or did you like that you made me that way more? If I was a betting girl, I'd bet on the latter. I know I get off every time you mention me making you hard, so I'm guessing my wet panties do the same for you. Well, if I was wearing panties, that is._

Hahah that should set him off!

_You never have to worry about being too blunt with me, Edward. You can tell me anything you like and I won't hold it against you. Hell, I'd be more likely to add it to my ever growing list of fantasies about you._

_You can fuck me all those ways and more. The fact that you have a lot of frequent flier miles excites me to no end. I have never been an exhibitionist before, but you seem to bring out that side of me. One of my fantasies is very public and I have no idea why but it gets me so hot every time._

He'd just have to ask me to elaborate if he wanted to know my quad fantasy. There was something wrong with me for wanting to do him in front of the student body, but he was Edward Cullen. Who could blame me?

_I like smooth, strong hands and I'd make good use of them as often as you'd let me. I'm afraid I might wear you out. Think you could keep up?_

And that was a good place to end it.

_I'll be sending you more than my words soon, Edward. I hope they live up to your expectations and that they give you more fodder for your fantasies. Until then, happy thoughts for your happy ending._

That would do nicely. I closed the app and got out of bed to get ready for my day.

Xoxoxoxox

"Here, put this on." Rose handed me a white blouse and a black skirt. What in the hell?

"I have my own white blouse and black skirt. Why do I need these?"

"Because they're mine and I'm a size smaller than you, which means they'll be tight and sexy. Now put them on, leave the top two buttons undone. Do you have the pencils?"

I scowled at her and gestured to my desk. "They're right there." I took off my t-shirt and started to reach in my drawer to get a white bra but Rose smacked my hand. "Hey!"

"Leave on the black. I would make you go braless but I know you won't do it." Damn right I wouldn't do it. "Black will work. He'll see it through your shirt and it'll drive him wild."

I rolled my eyes but put on the shirt. It was snug in the arms and it was a damn good thing that she wanted the top two buttons unbuttoned because I couldn't have buttoned them if I wanted to.

"Perfect." I rolled my eyes and slid on the skirt. Apparently I wasn't going to be breathing for this photograph. She better not take long. "Okay, now twist your hair up in a bun." I did so, even though that sent the shirt riding up on my stomach and squeezing my arms even tighter.

She came behind me and I watched in the mirror as she stuck the two pencils into the bun, making it stay in place. Ooooh, I got it now. Teacher fantasy in the flesh. I did look kinda hot.

"Now, you look pretty good, but I'm going to put on some light makeup." She brushed on some blush and quickly darkened my eyes with eyeliner and some light brown eye shadow. She handed me some red lip gloss. "Put some on." I sighed but did so as she puttered around the room, clearing my desk off.

She then ran out of the room and I checked myself over critically. I looked pretty curvy, filling out the skirt nicely and the tight shirt had my breasts looking mighty perky. It wasn't obscene, thank God, and the makeup was just right. Less than I wore when I went out to a party anyway. I looked like me, only sexier.

Rose came running back in with an apple in one hand and a ruler in another. I barked out a laugh and she grinned. "Am I awesome, or am I awesome? Now lean against the desk, cross your legs, and hold the ruler in your left hand and the apple in your right." I did as she asked as she lined up her camera. She put it down and grabbed my glasses off my nightstand, sliding them over my eyes. That did complete the look I promised him.

Rose picked up her camera and I got ready. "Okay, now lift the apple toward your mouth and open like you're about to take a bite." I did that too. "Stick your tongue out just a touch, letting it rest on your lip." Okay then. Rose snapped away and I attempted to hold the ridiculous pose for her.

"Oh, this is awesome, Bella! Come look!" I set the apple and ruler down and moved around to see the pictures. They were…hot. She was right.

"This is the one," Rose declared. It was sexy and I looked like I wanted to take a bite out of more than just the apple. How true that was.

"I love it."

"Get your computer." She hooked it up and sent the photo to my desktop. "Now send it."

"Right now?" I squeaked. I mean, I told him I'd send one soon but today?

"Yes. He's going to come so hard you'll hear all the way in Germany!" She was dancing around my room and I had to admit, I loved the sound of that. I opened up an email and attached the picture.

"Okay, say something sexy and send it!" she demanded.

Something sexy? Like I could do that on demand.

_Edward,_

_An apple a day means the teacher will play. Will you give me one? Or will I have to punish you? You'll see my weapon of choice when you open this. I look forward to seeing what you'll choose._

_Your Bella._

"Oh yeah, play on, Professor Swan!" Rose threw her arms around me and practically choked me around the neck. "Send it!"

I did so and hurriedly closed my computer. What would he think? What would he say? I hoped he liked it. I hoped he liked me.


	17. Beet

Should I have done that? Would he like it? Of course he'd like it, I mean, it was sexually suggestive and all, but would he like me? Was I pretty enough? He'd dated Irina Ivanov for crying out loud. I didn't remotely compare to her and maybe I should try to unsend. Where was the damn unsend button on email too? Damn technology.

"Shut up, Bella." I looked over at Rose in surprise.

"What? I didn't say anything?"

"You didn't say anything verbally but your facial expression said it all. No regrets, Swan. He's going to love it. Now get the hell up and let's go out."

I couldn't leave. What if he responded? "Out? I can't go anywhere. I have to…"

"Sit on your ass and obsess over Edward replying to your email. It's late in Germany. He probably won't get it until tomorrow and you're not going to sit around waiting for an email from him. You can check from your phone. Let's go grab some dinner at least."

She was right, of course. It was nearly midnight there. Edward was probably sound asleep by now. Sitting around wouldn't do me any good and would just make me more nervous. "Alright, I'll come but I'm changing." I could barely breathe in this get up.

Rose laughed and hauled me to my feet. "Hot as you are right now, even I wouldn't suggest wearing that in public. Your tits look amazing though." She eyed them and I smacked her hand away from me because it really looked like she was about to feel me up.

"Touch your own tits. Leave mine alone."

She laughed. "I do all the time. And yours look epically hot right now."

I swatted at her again. "Go."

"Yeah, yeah, be ready in ten."

I breathed a sigh of relief when I finally had the skirt and top off. Back on went some jeans and a sweatshirt. That felt better. Not that I minded dressing sexily for the right person, like Edward, but I sure wasn't doing that for a simple dinner with Rose.

"You ready?" She came in wearing a tight-fitting long sleeved red shirt and jeans. How she managed to make that look like sin was beyond me. Just a Rose specialty.

"Yeah, where are we going?"

"I dunno. What are you in the mood for?" I shrugged. "Bucks?" A sports bar a few blocks away.

"That works."

We got there without incident and were able to get a table since it was still fairly early. I opened my email on my phone and there was no response. Rose laughed at me and ordered a pitcher of beer for both of us.

"You're pathetic, but I mean that in the best way, Bella."

I was. That was the truth. "I can't help it, Rose. I shouldn't have sent it. It was too much."

She pushed her hair behind her shoulders. "Bella, have I ever steered you wrong? Trust me, the impact that picture will make will ensure that he stays hooked on you. Your words will do the rest."

I wasn't worried about my words. Talking to him was easy. But what if I didn't measure up? "He dated Irina, Rose. I don't compare to her."

Our beer came and Rose waved the waitress away telling her we weren't ready to order. This wasn't a lie since I'd yet to open my menu.

"Yes, he dated her. And now he hates her. I mean, he has to after the shit she pulled. So I really don't think he's harboring some great desire to date anyone that reminds him of her. And you're just as pretty, prettier even." I snorted at that and she balled up her napkin and threw it at me. "Plus you're smarter, funnier, sexier. You're everything a guy could want."

"Tell that to Tyler." Shit, why had I said that? Like I wanted him to want me?

"Okay." She took out her phone and I gasped and tried to wrestle it from her hand. Rose was damn strong though and she held firm.

"What are you doing?"

"Calling Tyler." She scrolled through her phone. "He still has the same number, right?"

Like I knew? "I have no idea, but you're not calling him."

"Yes I am. I wanted to yesterday but you were more of a concern than he was. Now, you're fine, you have the hottest guy on the planet panting after you and if I have anything to say about it, his hot ass will be in Washington before the semester is over. I won't say anything terrible."

Right. I wasn't sure if I wanted her to do this but then, I never had. I'd taken his call and heard his news and been so stunned that I hadn't said much other than goodbye.

"Tyler? Hi, this is Rosalie Hale, do you remember me?" She paused and shot me a vicious smile. "Of course you do. That's a very good thing. We got your roses yesterday." Another pause. "I know they weren't for me, numbnuts, but anything you send to Bella, you send to me."

"So, here's the thing. The only reason you still have your lying, cheating dick is because Bella would have been upset if I'd castrated you. She, kind hearted soul that she is..." she smiled at me, "actually wished for your baby to have a good life with his cunt of a father. I am not nearly as nice. Do you remember my field of study, Tyler?"

Another pause. "That's right. I'm in medicine. Actually, I plan on being a surgeon. I'm mighty handy with a knife and my fingers are just itching to introduce my scalpel to your balls. If you contact us again, you won't be fathering another child and your wife will no longer be blissfully ignorant to what a cheating prick you are."

She nodded. "I thought you might. Take care, Tyler." And with that, she clicked off and grinned. "See, that wasn't so bad." She flipped open her menu.

"Rose, you threatened to castrate him." Not that I minded, really. It was kind of funny. But wrong. Very wrong.

"Yes, I did. I think I'll have a chicken sandwich," she replied, her eyes on the menu.

"You can't be thinking about food."

"Of course I can be. I'm a multi-tasker. He had it coming, Bella. You weren't going to deliver it. You're much too nice. This is what you have me for."

I felt a surge of love for her. "I have you for more than ass kicking, Rose."

She laughed. "Oh, I know. Picture planning and taking, sexual guidance, clothes, and confidence building…I bring a lot to the table."

I reached across and took her hand. "You do and those are all great but I love you for how strong and loyal you are. You pick me up and don't let me feel sorry for myself or sit at home obsessing over an email. Thank you, Rose."

She squeezed my hand back. "I love you, too. Now order some food and check your email again. I'm dying." She gestured to the waitress and she came over. I got a burger and Rose ordered her chicken. No response yet.

We chatted until our food came and by then I was actually famished. We both tore into our food and did a number on the beer. I was feeling a little buzzed but the burger and fries should help with that.

"Hey, beautiful." A voice came from behind me and Rose grinned.

"Hey, yourself."

"Oops, I mean two beautifuls. Hi, Bella." I turned and there was Brady, along with some guy. I waved and turned to look at Rose. She wouldn't set me up. She knew better. She shook her head at me, indicating this was a surprise to her.

"I didn't know you were going to be here," she told him.

He smiled and slid into the booth next to her. "I was just grabbing a bite with my brother and saw you here. I had to come say hi. Do you guys remember Colin?"

Colin. Oh yeah. President of the Sig Eps before Brady. He'd graduated after our sophomore year.

"Colin, this is my Rose and Bella." Rose cocked an eyebrow at that but didn't say anything to correct him.

"Hi, Rose. Hi, Bella." I looked up at him and tried to smile. He was about six feet tall, with dark hair and blue eyes like his brother's. He smiled down at me and I saw it in his expression. The same thing I saw with all the Sig Eps. He knew about Tyler, of course. Fucking gossipy men.

"Do you mind?" he asked, indicating the spot next to me in the booth.

Did I? Yes, I kind of did. "Actually, I need to be getting home. Big test tomorrow." That would be news to my professors. I slid out of the booth and Rose started to stand as well. "No, Rose, you can stay."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I'll see you later."

"I'll be home soon. Don't bury yourself in your computer."

I laughed and tossed some money on the table. Rose scowled but couldn't stop me. "I'll try not to."

I waved to the guys and tried to ignore the eyes I felt following my retreat. I didn't need Colin's pity. I didn't need anybody. I had Edward.

It was only seven but I was ready to go home. It was still light out and the walk was quick. The first thing I did when I got home was go directly to my room and look at my email. I had to. I waited for it to pull up and let out a loud gasp when I saw that he'd replied already. He must not be sleeping at all.

Oh God. I felt sick. What if he hated it? No, no, Bella, don't be stupid. What would Rose do? She would demand you open it immediately and read it out loud to her. Well, no need for the out loud part, but open it. Do it.

**Bella,**

**Good God, I don't even know what to say right now. I said we'd keep the naughty to the WWF but you didn't send me that picture via WWF, seeing as you can't and all. Before I'm totally crass, I need to say one thing. You are beautiful. Stunning. Even prettier than I imagined and trust me when I tell you I have an active and fertile imagination. I think you already knew that based on the fantasies I've shared with you. You exceeded every one.**

I did? Shit, did I just squeal? Yes, I did, but I did! I exceeded his expectations? I was beautiful to him? To Edward Cullen, the personification of beauty? How was that even possible?

**Okay, time to be the pervert you know and adore. You blew my mind and then I blew my load. No, seriously, I did. I think my hand was on my cock exactly .05 seconds after I pulled your picture up. I hope it's not wrong to share that with you. I've pretty much told you that you get me off with your words, combine it with that fantasy picture and I was done for.**

Oh my God. If he was serious, that was just the coolest thing anybody ever said to me. Be crass all you want, Cullen, if you're telling me that just looking at me got you off.

**Seriously, were you trying to kill me? Maybe you should have just broken it up into various body parts so I could know what was coming before getting hit with the big one. I'm kidding, of course. I love that you sent me a picture and I love that you made my fantasy all the more real. Who took that picture? I owe her (it better be a her) a major debt of gratitude.**

You and me both. I'd have to do more than buy her dinner for sure.

**Knowing what I'm missing while I'm all over the damn world and you're sitting in Washington might be enough to drive me wild. I could/would probably break land speed records were I in California when your picture came, though. Bella, I'm not going to lie, I actually ached with wanting to touch you.**

I felt that familiar low pull in my abdomen that I always got when his words turned me on. I wanted to touch him so bad. It was like a craving that I couldn't satisfy.

**Alright, I'm going to try to stop harping on how sexy and gorgeous you are and try to answer your emails. I'm sure your WWF is going to get me hard again so I need to focus while I can.**

No, Edward, you can feel free to tell me I'm sexy and gorgeous as much as you want. I'm not about to stop you. Was I grinning like a fool? Yes, yes I was. Well, who could blame me?

**I'm very glad I could make you feel better about your situation with your ex. Even though I don't know you, I feel like I know you pretty well, and I'm 100% certain that the moron didn't want to give you up. Who would? I was wondering if he'd been dropped on his head as a child. Did he play a sport? Perhaps he damaged some vital part of his brain. That's the only explanation.**

I giggled. Tyler probably wished he'd been dropped on his head after talking to Rose tonight.

**My ex probably deserves some punching. My mother and a few close friends wanted to punch her but I wouldn't let them. Hilariously, they don't even know all of the story. They know about her in bed with another man, but not the invitation to join or the things she said. You're the only one who knows that. Is that weird? That I can share something like that with you and not the people I'm closest to? It doesn't feel the way. I felt like I needed to give you that piece of me, just like you gave me yours. Not needed, as in obligated, but needed because I wanted to.**

Oh, Edward, you can share anything with me. I love that you wanted to.

**She, uh, has figured it out I think? She's on this trip, as is my replacement, and even though they're very much together, she'd made moves on me every single day. How insane is that? Like I'd take her back after what she did? She's driving me nuts and you're the one keeping me sane. I love talking to you, do you know that?**

Moves? What fucking moves? She was hitting on him and marrying James at the same time? That bitch needed more than a punch to the face.

**Tell Rose that she doesn't have to come after me! I have only the best of intentions with regards to you. She doesn't need to know that a lot of those intentions are the naked kind, but I imagine she'd approve, especially if she was the one who took that picture of you? Please, set my mind at ease on that front. I really have to know! And while I'm sure she's very beautiful, as you say, I doubt that she's more beautiful than you.**

God, was he perfect or what? Yes, Rose was more beautiful but he made me feel like I could be in his eyes, which was really all that mattered. And how cute was he that he was worried about who took the picture?

**I'm glad you have friends like Rose and Alice. My brother has always been just as much of a friend as a brother to me. He drives me crazy sometimes but I know he'll do anything for me and vice versa.**

**So, you grew up in a tiny town called Forks, huh? Are Knives and Spoons close by? Lame joke, I know, but you know that I can be lame from time to time. I grew up in Chicago, so not exactly a tiny town. I loved it there, though. The buildings, the people, Lake Michigan, the Sox, the Bears…my family still has season tickets for Da Bears and we all go to at least two games a year. We freeze our asses off now that we're all used to California but it's a lot of fun.**

I'd seen him in a Bears hat a time or two in pictures and he'd looked so sexy. Let's go to a game, Edward.

**Your dad's a cop, huh? No wonder you're always threatening me with the handcuffs! Not that I'm complaining, but I bet Dad wouldn't approve. Your secret is safe with me though. My dad's a doctor and mom was your typical housewife for most of my life. I notice you haven't mentioned your mother. Is there a reason for that? I don't want to pry, I was just curious.**

Yeah, Dad would not be pleased, but that's okay. As for Mom, who the hell knew what she'd be?

**Call it a hunch, but I'm pretty sure you'll still be the best part of my day when I get home. Yeah, I love my brother but he's big and he farts and smells and stuff. He can't compare to you. So yes, Bella, you will definitely hear from me when I get home. In more than one way, I imagine.**

More than one way? What did that mean? We already had two ways. Would there be three? Four? I had to know!

**As to your other email, I think I'll buy an apple orchard when I get home. Maybe it should be in Washington, since I'd be supplying you with them daily, even though I like your weapon of choice as well. Perhaps you can punish me for kissing your ass too often. I am a bit of a brown noser. And I'd really love to kiss your ass. Even though that's the one part of you I couldn't see I imagine it goes with the rest of the sexy package.**

Haha buy an apple orchard? I loved it! And if he wanted to see my ass, that could be arranged. There was nothing wrong with a picture of me bending over, was there? I'd need to ask Rose.

**Alright, I've got to go see what sweet torture you've inflicted on me in Words. It's been a whole hour since I was last hard, after all.**

**Thank you for sharing yourself with me. Both your picture and your words. Every single thing you send serves to make me...**

**Yours, Edward**

God, his parting words made me shiver. If only he were mine. Well, he was in this way and I was definitely his. Time to respond.

_Edward,_

_I have to admit I've been on the edge of my seat wondering what you thought of the picture. And I certainly didn't expect to hear from you so quickly. Are you having trouble sleeping? Is there anything I can do to help?_

I would happily relieve you of any stress you might have.

_Then again, maybe I didn't help at all sending that picture so late at night. I would say I'm sorry, but we both know I'm not. Did I really make you come that fast? Just my picture without the added words? I won't lie. That had me smiling like I'd won the lottery._

Still smiling. I'll probably get stuck this way and look like Jack Nicholson did in that Batman movie. That would really suck.

_I'm glad you think I'm beautiful and all those other wonderful words you used to describe me. Occasionally I feel that way but when you live with Rose, who did take the picture and will likely have a list of tasteful gift ideas for you at the ready, and Alice, well, they just both tend to shine and stand out in a way I don't. I'm the quiet one, though I guess the picture I sent you would have you laughing at the very idea of that._

_It's true, though. Do you know what I did tonight? Rose dragged me out to dinner after we sent you my picture (though I assure you that I changed first) and she decided to call my ex to tell him exactly what she thought of him, since I never really did. She's pre-med and threatened to use her scalpel on his balls and other delicate man areas. I don't think he'll be sending me anything again. Maybe a restraining order, although I'm not about to go near him. Rose might, though. Told you she was scary._

Scary and completely awesome. The best person I know.

_Your ex sounds like even more of a piece of work than mine is! Is she really hitting on you while traveling with her current guy? That's incredible. Now I want to do more than punch her. Maybe I can introduce her to Rose's scalpel as well! Sorry, I'm usually a pretty non-violent person but the thought of anybody hurting you makes me see red. You deserve so much better than that._

You deserve someone who appreciates you and would never look twice at another guy if she had you, Edward. Someone that will give you her heart fully. Someone like me.

_I think it's easier for you to share stuff like this with me, and me with you, because we weren't part of the other's bad experience. Your family and friends knew her; my family and friends knew him and they love us so they were too close to the situation. You weren't there when I went through the pain of Tyler's betrayal and I wasn't there when you discovered her in bed with another guy. We can tell each other stuff that won't set each other off, well, beyond me wanting to hit your ex, of course. I can't help it; I'm protective of my friends. And you are that, now. At least I like to think so._

I certainly hope so.

_Okay, enough of them. You're from the Windy City? That's cool. I've always wanted to go there. I'm more of a baseball fan than football but I don't mind either sport. I think it's great that you and your family travel together to go to a game. It must be nice to have that._

_Since you asked, I'll tell you that my mother isn't really in my life anymore, which is why I don't talk about her. She took off when I was three and I get the occasional birthday card or a ridiculous Christmas present that isn't remotely me and that's about it. Last year she sent me a top and skirt that barely had enough material to cover a ten year old, let alone a twenty-two year old. Recent picture aside, I'm generally a jeans and t-shirt sort of girl. She was dating some guy who was only a few years older than me last time I checked, which probably explains the clothes, but I have no idea if she's still with him now._

_So yeah, it's just me and my Dad. He's a great guy and did his best with me, but it's not the same as having a mom, you know? I certainly couldn't talk to him about boys. The instant one came sniffing around; he was running background checks on their parents. Okay, I might be exaggerating but he did have a fondness for wearing his gun and holster anytime I went out on a date. He's funny; at least he likes to think so!_

I snickered as I remembered Charlie posing in the hallway with his hip cocked to show off his gun clearly to whomever was at the door. I was lucky I'd dated anybody at all in high school.

_I'm glad that I'll still be part of your day when you get home. And I promise not to fart or smell too much, not that you can tell or anything, but still. It's a good practice to stay away from._

_So you're going to buy an entire apple orchard, Edward? That's a lot of playing, if I give a play per apple. And I would._

Every day and every way, Cullen.

_My ass is pretty fantastic, if I do say so myself. Maybe you'll get another picture one day. Or maybe I should save it as a lure to get you to make that trip north. Hmmm…I'll have to think about that for awhile. Feel free to kiss it anytime you like. It's ready and waiting._

_I love sharing my words and picture with you. I'm so glad you enjoy them. I enjoy yours just as much, I assure you._

_Now I'm off to see what your words will do to me tonight. I got some brand new batteries just in case._

_Yours, Bella_

That worked. I opened my Words app and waited for it to load. Bring huh? I'll bring you anything you want, Edward. I pulled up his message, anxious to see what he'd had to say.

**I very much like making you wet, Bella. It's kind of my driving force in life right about now, to tell you the truth. And what are you doing without panties? Not that I mind, of course. Easier access for me. Would you like to know what I would do if I lifted that skirt of yours and found you sans underwear? Well, tell me about this public fantasy of yours and I'll share that information with you. See, I can be a tease too.**

What? What would you do, Edward? Why are you teasing me? Just because I teased you? So unfair!

**Bringing out your exhibitionistic side is my very great pleasure. So many places in this world could be made more interesting by some illicit sex, don't you think?**

Gah. Illicit sex for the win, Edward. Take me anywhere you like.

**I have no doubt that I can keep up with you, Bella. At the very least, I'd have a ton of fun trying. Do you think you could handle all I have to give you?**

I needed water. Or more beer. Something to cool down with. I want to handle it, Edward. All of it.

**You already know that you exceeded my expectations with your sexy picture. Me, and my cock, cannot thank you enough for all the future joy that it's about to bring us.**

**Sweet dreams of me, Edward**

His cock. He played with his cock while looking at my picture. That was so hot. I couldn't stand it.

_When I sent you that message, I was in my nightshirt and nothing else, of course. As to what I was or wasn't wearing under the skirt, wouldn't you like to know? I would tell you but seeing as you left me hanging with what you'd do with what you found, I guess I'm returning the favor._

_My public fantasy is entirely too public to actually do, but we have this large quad on campus and, uh, the thought of doing it there while the entire school watched made me hot. I would never do it, mind you, but there's something about being out in the open and not giving a damn who saw, you know?_

_I can handle everything you have to give me, Edward. I'd love to handle it with my hands and my mouth and well, you know I want you._

_I'm glad you and your cock have my picture to get you through your trip. I hope you have enough lotion to handle everything I'm giving you._

_Off to do more than dream about you, Bella._

I flipped back to the game and scowled at my damn letters. Nothing cool I could play with 4 damn e's, two t's and an i. What the hell was this? Tit wouldn't work, damn it, and neither would teet. I had to settle for beet, which maybe could refer to his beating off, but that was a stretch. Oh well, it had to suffice. I'd send him a sexy word when I could, and until then I'd send him sexy words in my messages. That was better anyway.

* * *


	18. Tit

"Bella!" Ugh, who in the hell was at my door at this ungodly hour? What ungodly hour even was it? I squinted at my clock and saw it was 7:15 AM. Yes, it was ridiculously early.

"Go away," I muttered as I pulled my pillow over my head.

"Like hell I will." My door opened and I knew Rose was in the room.

"What do you want?" My words were muffled by pillow but I didn't care.

"What do I want? What do you think I want? Open your email, woman. I need to know what he thought of my masterpiece!"

I peered out from underneath my pillow and saw Rose wearing yesterday's clothes. Someone had a booty call last night. "He loved it. Now go away."

She squealed and threw herself up on top of me. "I knew it! Come on, aren't you excited?"

"I would be if it weren't the crack of dawn. And that hurts. Get off me."

She tickled me and I shrieked and bucked to get her the hell off of me. "Okay, okay, I'm up!" I scowled at her. "Bring me my computer."

She was off me in a flash and had my laptop open and booting up before I'd pushed my hair out of my face.

"I'll let you read the first few paragraphs," I told her.

She snorted and took the computer from me. "Looks like you have a new email."

I tried to wrestle my computer away from her but she was too fast and I was still half asleep. "I won't open it, even though I want to. I'll just leave that to you." I breathed a sigh of relief and watched as she pulled up the correct email.

".05 seconds!" she crowed. "Damn, we are badasses. I knew it! That must have been him I heard when I was walking back to Brady's car."

I laughed and poked her in the side. "Okay, you've seen enough."

"Come on, Bella!" Rose gave me her most irresistible look and I huffed but let her read on.

"He's afraid of me," she said, sounding quite satisfied. "Good. When the time is right, tell him I'll take my payment in the form of a cherry red Lamborghini or his brother's phone number. He can pick."

I giggled and rested my head on her shoulder. "Shouldn't you be satisfied enough right now?"

She laughed and shook her head. "Brady's great. I'm satisfied for now. Doesn't mean I can't have the next one in the wings, does it?"

"I suppose not." What did I know? I didn't have them lining up the way that Rose did. Then again, I had Edward Cullen coming to my picture. I wasn't exactly doing too badly.

"An apple orchard!" Rose threw back her head and laughed herself silly. "Perfection. I told you! I'm a damn genius. Maybe we should make our own calendar."

"Maybe you should make your own calendar. I'm sure it'd be a best seller," I told her dryly.

"Oh, no! Naughty Professor Swan would be perfect for August. Who wouldn't want to go back to school with a teacher like that?"

I snorted and reached for my computer. "All the straight females, probably. I'd be the most polarizing teacher of all time in that get-up."

"Jealous bitches. Hey, he wants to see your ass. I guess we know what our next pic is gonna be."

I wrestled my computer from her. "Who says there's going to be a next one?"

Rose narrowed her eyes. "I do. The more you send, the crazier you'll make him and the sooner he'll be knocking on our front door and ravaging you. Now, let's see."

I set my computer aside, dying to open his email but I wasn't doing it with Rose next to me. I never knew quite how much he'd affect me. "Look, of course I want to send him something else, something more me, but…"

"I've got it!" she yelled, scrambling off my bed, her blond hair flying behind her. I watched as she disappeared from my room. What the hell was that?

She was back a minute later, camera in hand and triumphant smile lighting up her face. "Okay, now put your laptop on the bed and lay on your stomach, feet in the air, crossed at the ankles as you read his email."

I gaped at her. "What do you mean? I just woke up. I'm in my nightshirt. You can't take a picture of me now."

She rolled her eyes and yanked my sheets back. "Bella, was I right about the other picture?"

"Yes, but…"

"Then trust me. You look like you just woke up. You look like you want to go back to bed. He's going to see that in the picture. Your face is a little flushed, your hair is tangled…you look like you could have been fucking him in this bed a minute ago. It's hot."

I stared at her. "Are you sure? Do I have any weird crease lines on my face? What if…"

"Stop thinking and just do it."

I glared at her but did as she asked, lying on the bed on my stomach. She fixed my covers around me and moved the laptop back in front of me. I crossed my feet at the ankles and waited for her direction. Rose fiddled with my hair, tossing most of it down my back but letting some hang over my shoulder, then smoothed my shirt down my back, even tugging it just below my ass. At least it was covered, barely. She then moved a few feet away to my side and a little behind me.

"Okay, now look over your shoulder at me." I did and she grimaced. "Not like you're pissed off at me, like you're sleepy and you want me to join you in bed."

"But I don't want you to join me in bed," I told her. "You already did and look where that's gotten me."

She laughed. "Hey, I'm fabulous in bed. Ask anybody." I started to reply to that and she held up a hand. "Don't even say it. I'm not that much of a slut. Now focus."

Focus, right. I looked over my shoulder at her again. "That's better but not good enough. Pretend Edward is standing here, watching you. He's looking at that sexy little ass of yours, wanting to squeeze it as he slides the t-shirt up your body."

My mouth went dry as I imagined those perfect hands of his caressing me. God, how I wanted him. I needed him to touch me. I needed him to…

"Perfect." Rose snapped several shots and did a victory dance after she looked at them. "Check it out!" She was back on my bed and shoving her camera in my face. I had to admit, she'd done it again. My shirt barely covered my butt and showed it quite well. My legs looked pretty good, albeit too white, but it was Washington in March. I wasn't exactly tan. My eyes, though, they were the key. I looked sleepy and turned on. I looked…

"You look freshly fucked," Rose supplied. "Extremely hot. I even want to go to bed with your right now."

I laughed and pushed her. "Well, you can't have me, good in bed though you may be. It looks great, though."

"He'll love it! We'll see if he can break a new record." She chuckled as she sent the pictures from her camera into my computer.

I giggled. "Thanks, Rose. I'll be sure to let you know what he has to say."

She wrapped her arms around my neck and gave me a squeeze. "I know you will. And listen, about last night…"

I sat up and tucked my legs under me. "I'm sorry I bailed on you. I just didn't want to be around Colin. He looked at me like they all do."

Rose sighed and shook her head. "When will you see yourself properly, Bella? He wasn't looking at you with pity."

I snorted. "Sure, Rose. I know that look when I see it. He knew what Tyler did and he felt bad for me."

Rose put her hands on her hips and glared at me. "He knows what Tyler did and thinks he's an idiot. He said he couldn't understand why he'd possibly cheat on you and he asked me if you were single."

I blinked at her, trying to comprehend what she'd just said. "What?"

"He wants to ask you out. He asked me for your number."

That was unexpected. "But, he looked like…"

"He looked like a guy interested in a girl with no idea how to approach her. Dumbass." She said the last affectionately, squeezing my shoulder.

Was I really that far off? What was wrong with me? Also, what did she tell him? "You didn't give it to him, did you?"

She shook her head. "No. I got his number for you instead. I told him you weren't really dating right now but that I'd let you know he was interested and leave the ball in your court. He got that and had a few choice things to say about what an idiot Tyler was."

She reached in her pocket and handed me a piece of paper with Colin's name and number on it. I stared at it for a few seconds before balling it up and getting ready to throw it in the trash can. Rose stilled my hand.

"Don't throw it away, Bella. Look, I'm not going to tell you to go out with him. But don't close yourself up to even the possibility some day. I know you want Edward and I want him for you. But you can't put all your eggs in that basket. There are so many things that could happen." I frowned at the idea of those things and she smiled and tugged on my hair. "I'm not saying you need to go out with him or call him even, just keep it as a back up."

I tried to smile. "Like you're keeping Emmett as an option even though you've got Brady?"

Rose nodded. "Yes, exactly. Colin's here. Edward's in Europe. Yes, he'll be home soon and hopefully he'll be coming to visit, but you can't assume that. I just don't want you to give up on the chance of something real for the fantasy."

I felt tears well in my eyes. "But I want him, Rose. I want Edward like I've never wanted anyone before. It's not even the fact that he's Edward Cullen, you know? He's just amazing. He makes me laugh and smile and he's giving himself to me bit by bit. I could fall for him."

She smiled softly. "It sounds like you already have." I opened my mouth to deny it but the words wouldn't come. Fuck me. I'd gone and given my heart to Edward Cullen. "I'm glad you found someone who appears to be worthy of it. And I'm not going to discourage you."

I shook my head. "You never have. I can't thank you enough for that."

She pulled the paper out of my hand and set it on my nightstand. "That's my job as one of your best friends. And, as my advice is as awesome as my friendship, I want you to listen to me. Don't throw the number away. You may want it someday. For the moment, Edward is out of reach. Maybe he'll be within your grasp someday soon, and if he is, you hold on and don't ever let go. If he fucks it up and lets the best thing he ever could have had slip through his fingers, give Colin or some other guy a chance. Okay?"

It was a reasonable request. I wasn't going to remotely consider calling Colin though. "Okay."

"Alright, I'll leave you to lover boy. Send him that picture, Bella. He's going to die."

I laughed. "I don't want to kill him. I just want to make him mine."

She smiled. "Then he will be. We'll see to it." She got off my bed and headed toward the door. I picked my computer back up and opened his email. I heard her laughing as she shut the door. "I'm surprised you waited until I left."

I flipped her off even though she couldn't see me. She'd kept me from him long enough. Ooh, it was a long one!

**Bella,**

**You know I wouldn't lie to you. When I say you're beautiful, I mean it. When I say you made me come harder than I ever have, I mean that too. I get that your ex probably did a number on your self esteem. As you know, I've been there. But you're beyond my wildest dreams, which you know are pretty wild! Wilder still now that I've met you.**

Anything you want, Edward. We can be as wild as you like.

**I was actually at a function pretty late last night and when I came back to my room, the first thing I did was look for you. And what a surprise I had waiting for me. Thank God I left my phone in the hotel, Bella. There would have been no way I could have avoided looking at your picture and we both know what it did to me when I did. I would have had to find a bathroom as soon as humanly possible. It wouldn't have been pretty. But I would have braved the potential public humiliation in order to see you. And you would have been worth it. No doubt about it.**

I felt warm inside at his words. And I laughed at the mental image of him running down a red carpet frantically looking for a bathroom to relieve his giant hard on. What a fun thought that was.

**Your friend Rose sounds like a woman to be reckoned with! I'm not going to lie; I got a huge smile on my face at the thought of her telling your ex to stay the hell away from you. I owe her a couple of presents, it seems. Ask her what she wants and it will be hers! And I'm glad you changed first. You would have been responsible for far too many college guys suffering blue balls to be healthy and I would have been madly jealous for anybody to see you like that. Is that wrong? But it's totally the truth. I would hate for anybody to see my hot teacher fantasy come to life.**

Could he feel as possessive of me as I did of him? I already wanted to kick Irina's ass for continuing to go after him.

**I told my brother about you this morning and told him how gorgeous you are and about the picture. He wanted me to send it and I got mad and jealous at the idea of anybody seeing you but me. The effect you have on me, Bella. You're just…very special to me and I don't want to share you, even with my brother. Does that make sense?**

It makes perfect sense. I didn't want to share Edward either. Though I loved that he'd mentioned me to his brother. That meant I was important to him, didn't it?

**How about we turn Rose loose on both our exes and keep one another occupied in much more interesting ways while she cuts off vital body parts? I doubt even their screaming could make me want to turn away from looking at you.**

Gah! So perfect! So hot!

**You're right. It is incredibly easy to just be myself with you. It's a breath of fresh air for me in ways that I can't describe right now but hopefully one day you'll understand. For now, know that you're my favorite person to talk to. I wish I could in other ways. Perhaps when I get home, you'll let me call you? I don't want to push or anything and I know that giving out your number would require some bigger level of trust but just think about it. I'll understand if you're not ready or cautious or whatnot. You should be! I'd be upset if you were just to blindly hand over your number to any old person you talked to for a week. So, just think about it and let me know.**

Oh my God! Edward wanted my number. No thought required. I'd give it to him right now. No, I'll wait til he gets home. He won't be calling until then anyway. I should play it a little cool, if that was possible. But it's not.

**I'm sorry about your mother. I can't imagine any mother walking away and leaving her kid behind, but it sounds like your dad did right by you, guns and all. That was a little scary, Bella! If he knew the thoughts I had about you, I'd be riddled with bullet holes right about now. But I'd risk it, for you.**

I'd never let Charlie shoot you, Edward. You're safe, dirty thoughts and all.

**Your mom missed out on an incredible girl and one day she'll realize that. Would you be willing to try on that outfit that wouldn't fit a ten year old? I'd be happy to give you my honest opinion. I kid, I kid. Sorta. I mean, I wouldn't mind if you did try it on, but I'm more than happy with what you've given me. You're too good to me already, Bella.**

I've got something even better coming your way, Edward.

**Since we discussed your mom, I'll tell you about mine. She's fierce. Loyal. Scary. When she heard a little, a very little mind you, about my ex's latest stunts, she called me yelling and ready to kick some ass. I love her, but she scares the hell out of me. I'll tell you a little secret. The best way to freak me out is to tell me you're going to tell my mom on me. My brother just pulled it on me and I spilled my secrets to him. Okay, I told him about you. He knew I was hiding something. I guess I can't even be subtle about you over the phone. You're a dangerous woman, Bella, but I love it.**

Dangerous? Me? If only!

**So there you have it. Twenty-five years old and scared of my mom. She's actually one of the nicest people you'll ever meet, but if you cross her, or her children, well, she might borrow Rose's scalpel and get to cutting. My dad is much more even keel. I guess he'd have to be, with her as a wife. He's funny and very smart and just an all around great guy. We're a very close family and we have dinner every Sunday night if we're all in town.**

How cute was that? They were a super glamorous family and yet they had Sunday dinner together.

**Ha! I'm glad you're going to limit your farting and smelling, Bella. You don't know how loud I laughed when I read that. I love how you can take me from turned on to laughing and back again. You've a special talent, or I'm just especially susceptible to your charms. Either way, it works.**

You do the same to me, Edward. Have no doubt about that.

**I'll buy an entire apple orchard, Bella. I think we'll need one to cover every single one of my and your fantasies, after all. Speaking of those, I have to see if you sent me another on WWF. Off to read that and then I'm traveling to another city but I'll check in with you when I can!**

**You don't need a picture to lure me, Bella, I'm already mentally headed there. Physically, hopefully I can swing it in the near future.**

Yes, please. Come to me. Now.

**Talk to you soon.**

**Your Edward**

All mine. I hope you are.

_Edward,_

_I'm very glad you waited to open my email until you were alone. I think we've both learned our lesson on that front, though it would likely be less dire for me than you. I can explain my flushed skin with any number of lies, but your hard dick would be hard to hide and I certainly don't want you sharing it with anybody but me._

Too possessive? Who cared? I wanted him to know that I wanted him to be mine, only mine.

_Rose is working on her list of demands as we speak. In fact, thanks to what I'm going to be attaching to this email, you're probably going to owe her even more. I hope you like it. I didn't plan on sending another picture this soon but Rose saw me this morning and just said we had to do it. I argued but to no avail. I figure this is the me you'd see every day were you here, so…yeah. I hope you like it._

_I love that you told your brother about me and that you wouldn't share my picture with him. Not that I mind if you do, I mean, I'm not embarrassed by it or anything, but it is just for you. Perhaps someday I can don that exact outfit for you, let you live the picture live and in person. What do you say to that?_

I laughed. Like I didn't know what he thought of that.

_Did you seriously think I would say no when you asked for my phone number? What am I, crazy? Well, crazy in some ways, I suppose, but they're good ones. I would love to talk to you on the phone. As I said, even Morse code would satisfy me. Have you been brushing up on those dashes and dots? They're not necessary because I'll happily send you my number. What do you say we plan on talking when you get back to California? Shall we make a date?_

Rose would be so proud of me. I'd just asked Edward out, the only way I could for now. I actually felt a bit nervous about it, but he wasn't going to say no, clearly.

_I wouldn't let my Dad shoot you, Edward. I like those dirty thoughts of yours and I'm not giving them up to a few bullets! It'll take more than that to keep me from wanting you._

_My mother is what she is. I've learned to get by. I love that your mom is such a fierce protector. That's exactly what moms should be. Be grateful you have her, even when she oversteps her bounds and sticks her nose in where it's not wanted. I often wished my mom would be like that. Anything's better than disinterest._

_I think it's amazingly cute that you guys have a Sunday dinner. I don't see my dad nearly often enough. No big Spring Break plans this year, so maybe I'll go see him, unless Ali and Rose decide to drag me off somewhere. You never know with those two. Are you spontaneous or a planner, like me?_

_I meant it when I said you could be yourself with me. That's the person I want to know. I'll be patient and wait until you can reveal yourself to me. It's hard to remember it's only been a week since we "met" after all. I can't expect all your walls to be down, because I know mine aren't. But they're severely breached already. I hope that's a good thing._

_An apple orchard probably wouldn't cover everything in our creative minds but it'll be a good start! I love the thought of you heading toward me, Edward. I hope you make good on that one day, when you're ready._

_I'm going to see what you sent me back in WWF. Did I tease you too much there? Dying to know._

_I was thinking of you when Rose took that picture. Can you tell?_

_Yours,_

_Bella_

I attached the picture and sent it off, then closed my laptop and grabbed my phone, unplugging it from the charger.

I laughed aloud when I saw he'd played phone. Was that a hint, Edward?

**Paybacks are a bitch and you always manage to one up me, don't you? I'm dying to see that nightshirt and I'm dying to know what was under that skirt. More incentive to visit, as if I needed any at this point.**

Haha done and done, Cullen. Get on that plane!

**So you want me to fuck you in front of the entire student body? You are a very dirty girl, Bella. And I love it. I may not be able to swing that, but I'm sure we could find some secluded outdoor spot where I could push you onto the soft grass and fuck you until you screamed my name. How does that sound?**

Was I whimpering again? Yes, I was. And I could feel those blades of grass against my skin.

**I want you too, Bella. Very much. I'll take your hands and your mouth and give you mine back, as well as my very hard cock. All for you. What do you say?**

I say, fuck yes, Edward. Give me everything.

**I have to stock up on lotion at each stop, though I'm going to be using shampoo in a couple of minutes. Whatever's handy. When I get home, I'll pick up a supersized bottle. Why'd I have to meet you when I was on the road? I guess to keep it interesting. And indeed, it has been.**

Happy to be of service. I'll keep you so moisturized that your hands will still look 25 when you're 80.

**Did your toy take care of you? Do you think I can take care of you better? I do. What do you say we test that theory one day soon?**

Yes! A million times, yes!

**Until then, I'll be buying stock in DuraCell and Noxema.**

**Talk to you soon!**

He made me laugh. We might single-handedly be powering the battery and lotion industries at this point.

_Well, Edward, if you opened my email, you've already seen that little nightshirt. And did you see any panty lines? Rose took that picture, of course, and smoothed my shirt down over my body. She got pretty close to knowing I had no panties on. Do you like that? I know you do._

I giggled. Guys and their college girl fantasies killed me.

_I wouldn't want the entire student body to really see you fucking me, just a passing fantasy that got me all hot and bothered, but yours did the same. I'd love for you to lay me down in the grass and fuck me, making me scream so loudly that we scared all the wildlife away. I have great faith that you could make me do that, Edward._

_I want that very hard cock of yours, filling me, driving me into the bed, the grass, the wall, wherever you want to take me. I'm all yours, in case you couldn't tell._

_It was nice of you to take a break on the Germans and use some shampoo instead of further depleting their lotion supply. And the thought of you touching yourself in the shower has me reaching for the little blue car. I find it incredibly arousing that I turn you on so easily. It's only fair, since you can make me wet with only one sentence._

_I think you could ably replace my toy and even outdo it. After all, it only has those two bullets. You have two hands, a tongue and a cock. You win on numbers alone, and I have no doubt you'd bring me pleasure beyond belief._

_Stock up on your stocks and then sell when you come to me. We'll have no need for substitutes then._

And that was what I called a perfect ending. My letters still sucked so I played tit. Why that worked now instead of before was beyond me, maybe because I'd gone plural. Stupid game. Stupid, wonderful game that brought me Edward Cullen. Best game ever.


	19. Tease

"This has been the day from hell!" Alice threw herself down on the bench I was sitting on, waiting for her. She was fifteen minutes late and looked none too happy about it.

"What happened?"

"Ugh, Professor Clapp is an asshole, that's what happened! He doesn't like my team's progress in lab this semester and he's making us redo the last assignment. I'm going to spend my entire life in the damn library."

She was in a full-on sulk. "That sucks. Why do you have to redo it?"

Alice shot a glare across the quad. "Because Heidi is a moron and she fucked up everything. My part was right, but does he care? No, he does not."

I laughed. "Well do you think a patient's family would care if you did everything right in the OR but Heidi screwed up and their loved one died?"

She scowled at me. "You're supposed to be on my side. Why are you being so logical?"

I grinned at her. "Because it's required. Are you going to meet with your group tonight then?"

She wrinkled up her nose and shook her head. "Hell no. I need a day away from those people. They're taking up entirely too much of my time. I didn't even get home until midnight last night. I barely got to talk to Edward. Thank God I was able to sneak him some texts during Paul's yapping last night."

I laughed. I was glad I didn't have any group projects this semester. "So that's still going well, then?" I took a sip of the iced tea I'd snagged from the vending machine.

She lit up in a brilliant smile. "Yes! And, you'll be proud of me! I texted him right after I got done arguing with my dickhead professor and demanded that he give me his name. I told him we're not going to dance around it any longer. I want to know whose name I should be screaming out when I come."

I spat my tea right out of my mouth. Gasping for air, I turned to her while she whacked me on the back. "That was gross, Bella. What's wrong with you?"

"Tell me you didn't text him that!" I croaked. Dear God, Chris Hansen and a horde of FBI men were probably descending on our apartment as we spoke. Maybe I should call Rose and see if she could pick us up. We could hide Alice away and then explain that she truly was simply a sweet, delusional girl who thought she was talking to Edward Cullen, not the child she'd just spoke of coming with.

Alice finished smacking me and nodded. "Of course I did. Did you think the two of us have only been talking about poetry all this time?"

Oh, hell. "Alice, you're sexting him? What if he's twelve?"

She glared at me. "It's you and Rose who insist that he's twelve. I've told you time and time again that he's not and I think I should know. I've spent countless hours texting and messaging with him. Why can't you two accept that I know what I'm doing?"

I held up my hands in a gesture of surrender. "I can! I do! I just didn't realize that it had gotten that far and I want you to be careful." And not be on a TV show with a bunch of perverted weirdos. Is that too much to ask?

She sighed and rested her head on her hands. "I am, Bella. I know what I'm doing. He's the one; my true soul mate. I know he's not Edward, okay? It may have taken me awhile to let that go but I have. I don't care who he is, as long as he's mine."

I nodded. "Alright then. As long as you're sure. I hope he is everything you want him to be."

Her eyes shone and she smiled brightly. "Oh, he is, Bella. I'm sure of it! I told him all about Jared and he had a fit! He wants to kick his ass for not knowing how to treat a lady. He said if I were his, he'd wine me and dine me. He wants to dance with me under the stars. How perfect would that be?"

I smiled at her dreamy expression. "That would be pretty darn perfect."

"Yes, and I'm going to have it all with him!"

Well, you never knew. There was something I needed to ask though. "I hope so. So, uh, how's the sexting?"

I couldn't deny that ever since I'd read Edward's email, I was a little nervous. I wanted to talk to him on the phone, no doubt about that, but would he expect phone sex? And would I be any good at it? Sure, I could write innuendo with the best of them but what about when he could hear me speaking my innermost thoughts? Would I suck at it? Would I panic and just say nothing? Was that the equivalent of just lying there while a guy did you missionary style? Talking to him now was easy, because I forgot he was Edward Cullen most of the time. He was just my Edward. But for our first conversation? How could I not think about the fact that the sexiest man alive was on the other end of the phone?

Alice giggled. "I have to admit, he could use a little work." Fuck, he was twelve. He probably told her he wanted to touch her down there or something equally non-hot. Maybe he wanted to squeeze her boobies. "He's just such a gentleman! I'm sure it's a Texas thing, you know? He won't come out and say stuff like he wants to pound my pussy…" I choked on laughter. She was so damn crude. "He romanticizes it, you know? He wants to lay me down on a blanket and touch me all over, then kiss me, etc. You get the drift."

Well, that was a relief. I didn't think a pre-teen would care about the romance aspect of things. "That doesn't sound too bad," I told her.

She laughed again. "It's not. It's just when I'm in the mood, I don't really care about stars and moonlight. Just fuck me already."

"Anytime, Alice." Jesus Christ. We both jumped at the male voice that came out of nowhere.

Alice whirled and glared at Jared, who was standing directly behind us. "I'm not talking about you, you Neanderthal. Fucking is all you're good for."

"Well it sounds like your new guy isn't good for that at all. Why don't you spend your boring evenings with him and come to me for your sexy nights?"

I gaped at him. Alice's expression was positively thunderous. "Did you seriously just say it was fine with you if I go out with another guy, so long as I come fuck you after? Is that what I heard you say?"

"Just telling you that I'll fulfill your needs baby. I'll do what he can't." Jared leaned against the tree and grinned confidently. He was such a moron that I thought I must be hallucinating. Surely nobody was this stupid?

Alice stood up and walked over to him. "So, let me get this straight. I want to be clear as day here. I can go out to dinner, dance, and kiss and touch whomever I want and then come to you and have you fuck my brains out?"

He nodded. "Sure, it's perfect. You get to do all that crap you're always bitching at me about and we still get our rocks off. What do you say?"

"What do I say? How about this?" Before I could blink, Alice's foot shot out and connected with his crotch. Jared was bent over, gasping for air. "I say you are the biggest pig I ever met. I told you to fuck off before and I'm telling you one last time. You come near me again and it'll be stiletto through your balls, you got it?"

I stood and grabbed Ali's arm. "Maybe we should get going." People were milling around staring at the scene before them, tiny Alice taking down gigantic Jared with one swift kick.

"You can't hope to move me like my guy does. He can get me off with his words better than you can with your dick. Stay away from me. I mean it." And she was off and I was off with her, glancing back to see Jared looking green as he clutched at his junk.

"Can you believe it? God, that felt good. I'm so pissed off. I want to go back and kick him again. Can I?" She started to turn back around but I held her arm and kept marching toward home.

"No. We're going home. We'll run to the store, stock up on some beer, order some pizza and have a movie night. I think you need it."

Alice thought about that and then smiled. "That sounds good. We need some kickass, girl-power type movies though. No romantic crap. I'm not in the mood."

Girl-power it was. I texted Rose and told her we were having girl's night. She replied back quickly saying she'd pick up the vodka. Oh man, tomorrow was going to be interesting. A quick email check showed nothing from Edward yet. I missed him, but it was time to spend some quality time with my girls.

Xoxoxoxox

"I don't care what you say, _Sucker Punch_ was awesome!" Alice crowed, punctuating her words with a little double fist punch that nearly had her falling off the couch.

"It was stupid," Rose mumbled around a mouthful of pizza. " _First Wives' Club_ was way better."

"Yeah, that was funny, but nobody can top _Carrie_ for revenge!" I declared. "She shut that cafeteria and went to town. Bye bye, Greatest American Zero!" I laughed my ass off at my own joke as Alice and Rose clutched at one another and howled.

My body was pleasantly tingly and all that was missing was a little Edward. My phone was shut away in my bedroom, though. Alice's rules. We weren't allowed to be distracted by boys of any kind. Not that she thought I was the one who'd be distracted. Oh no, not shy little Bella. I giggled at the thought of how not-shy I'd been with my Edward.

"That ruled! Let's watch something else! _Charlie's Angels!"_ Alice stumbled up from the couch and pawed at the DVD collection.

"Ugh, they blow," I told her. Really, I was not a Cameron Diaz fan. She'd gotten fug in recent years. What if Edward had to kiss her in a movie? That would really suck. She was too old for him, though. Hopefully he wouldn't do any cougar movies.

"They kick ass," Alice argued. "It's part of their job description!"

"Drew's annoying but Lucy Liu is hot," Rose decided, lying across the couch and taking up Alice's spot.

" _Clueless!"_ I shouted. That's what we should watch.

"I am not clueless. Lucy has flawless skin. I'd totally do her if I was a dude!" Rose threw her pizza crust at me and it smacked me in the arm.

"I'm not calling you clueless, dumbass. That's what we should watch!"

"Oooh, yeah!" Alice shrieked. "Cher is the goddamn queen in that town. Let's watch that and then _Mean Girls."_

"Lohan? Ugh, I'll suck it up for Seyfried and that other bitchy girl," Rose decided. She sat up and grabbed the orange juice. "More screwdrivers, girls?"

"Yes! I need some kind of screwing!" Alice giggled as she sank down next to me this time.

"Ha, you turned that down pretty hard today." I laughed as I remembered Jared doubled over in pain.

"Hard! Ha, he won't be that for awhile!" Rose snorted. "Why do I miss all the good shit?"

"I'll be happy to repeat it for you," Alice told her. "Let's invite him over. He's probably dumb enough to come. Then we can all punch him." She started punching the air again.

"He is that dumb. We should totally do it!" Rose looked delighted. "I can get my whip out again and…"

"You and that whip! Stop being such a perv!" I replied

Rose smirked. "Look who's talking."

"I keep my perviness under wraps," I told her.

She glanced at Alice who was sucking down her screwdriver like it was going to run away. "I'll say!"

"Shut up and watch the movie, losers!" Alice told us. That was good. We were getting a little close to revealing something that I didn't want to reveal. I missed Edward. I shot a look at my closed bedroom door. He was waiting. I knew he was.

Alice passed out midway through _Clueless_ and Rose decided she needed to call Brady for a booty call so we shut off the TV and put a blanket over Ali before going to our rooms. I'd stopped drinking about half an hour ago and thankfully wasn't as blitzed as they were. I had a good buzz going, but what was better than a drunken email? Well, a drunken phone call but I couldn't call him. Yet.

I collapsed on my bed and opened my laptop. There he was! I'm sorry I kept you waiting, sweet Edward. I wish you were here so I could show you just how sorry I am.

**Bella,**

**You are trying to kill me, aren't you? You know that if you do, you'll miss me terribly and then you'll have to try to find someone as cool as I am to talk to, which isn't remotely possible. I just don't want you to suffer, because if you do kill me, I promise I'll die a happy man.**

Nooooo. Don't ever die, Edward. I need you. Come to me.

**I didn't think it was possible for you to get anymore beautiful, but you proved me wrong. It's a good thing it was me you were thinking of when that picture was taken, because I'd hate to have to kill whatever man was stealing your thoughts away from me. The look in your eyes, Bella...do you want me that badly? I know I want you that much. I'm not lying when I say that my hands were shaking and sweating with the need to touch you.**

Awww hell. He was so cute and sexy and sweet. Do me, Edward.

**If you look like that on a daily basis, I'm a man in trouble. I'll never be able to get out of bed, which I don't think is a bad thing, per se, but our families might miss us someday. I'm willing to risk it though. I'll hire someone to bring us food a few times a day. Will that work for you?**

Hell yes. I'll lay in bed and be served like a queen. And serviced by Edward. There could be nothing better than that in all the world.

**Okay, I have to stop thinking about you in bed because I'll never stop talking about it and I'll get hard again and I really need to give myself a rest before I get carpal tunnel or something. I must reassure you that my hard dick is indeed, all for you, and I'm not sharing it with anyone else. Even though it's killing me not to read your emails and Words throughout the day, I know it's the only way I'll be able to function.**

**Rose is my own personal hero for those pictures. Really, no request is too big. I'll find a way to get her face carved into Mt. Rushmore if I need to. That's how much I owe her for giving you to me through pictures. It means a lot to have them to go with your words.**

Mt. Rushmore! I couldn't wait to tell her that. She'd probably go for it. Rose liked her face. She had a pretty one, after all. She should be on Mt. Rushmore. Way hotter than the Presidents. I giggled at the image of Rose's face over Lincoln's. That ruled.

**I know you've been very patient when it comes to me not giving you as much as you have given me and I appreciate it. I can't tell you the reasons why I can't reciprocate on the picture front, but one day in the not too distant future I will. You mentioned that I've breached your walls and I want you to know that you've done the same for me. I have reasons why I have to be careful, reasons I will share with you pretty soon. I hope you can continue to be patient with me. This, what we have, is too important to me already and I don't want to lose it, or you. I hope you'll give me a little time to let the wall all the way down. I promise that when I do, it'll be worth the wait. At least I hope so!**

Oh, Edward. I understand. You're a celebrity but I can't tell you that. But you know you are, but I don't know you are. It's all so fucked up, isn't it? Why couldn't I have found you without knowing I found you? Do you know what I mean? Neither do I.

**Silly girl, do you even need to ask if I want you to wear the teacher outfit in person? Or the shirt, for that matter? I would find you sexy in sweats and a winter coat. Wear anything, or preferably, nothing, for me!**

Nothing it is. I was hot anyway. I whipped off my t-shirt and shorts. Ready, Eddie. Ewww, Eddie. That's not hot. Edward is so much sexier. Mmm, sexy Edward.

**Yes, we have a date. Absolutely. I get back on Sunday night, pretty late, so what do you say to Monday night? I'll probably have to sleep the day away, but I'll be ready for you after you get done with classes and dinner maybe? How about 8 PM?**

Holy shit! I had a date with Edward Cullen! The world might be ending. I needed to run through the quad yelling that I had a date with Edward Cullen. Maybe later, when the room wasn't spinning. Yeah, that was a better idea.

**While I'm thinking about it, the next few days are going to be insane, travelwise. I'll be on a plane for over a day and a half of them, so our communication is going to be limited. I don't want you to think I'm ignoring you, I'll just legitimately be unable to email or play WWF for hours on end. My schedule is going to be pretty insane as well, but I'll write when I can. And I'll be counting down the minutes until Monday night. I can honestly say I haven't looked forward to anything like this in quite a long time.**

That fucking sucked. I'd already missed him all day and now I'd barely get him over the next five? And I'd wasted today. Damn it! I was kicking Jared in the balls the next time I saw him.

**I do love my mom, very much. She's definitely the force in our family and the three much bigger males are putty in her capable hands. You don't cross Mom! Perhaps one day you'll meet her and she'll be as fiercely protective of you as she is of the rest of us. She'd like you very much, I'm sure of it.**

Oooh, he wants me to meet his Mom. Maybe he loves me, too. Or thinks he does. Or feels good when he thinks about me like I do when I think about him. Is that love? Yes. No. Can you love someone you don't know? I know him, but I don't. But I want to. My head hurts.

**I'm a planner, like you. My brother is the spontaneous one. He'll bring a puppy home without a thought of the fact that we have jobs we travel for, he'll get a tattoo because he happens to be walking past a shop, he'll buy a car because he's in a mood...you get the drift. Hell, when I told him about you he started planning a road trip to Washington just like that. For the first time, I was tempted to throw in with him and just drive up to see you. Would you be excited if I did? Scared? Annoyed? As a planner yourself, you'd probably be irritated. I wouldn't come unannounced and uninvited, I swear.**

After I had a heart attack, I would be plenty excited, provided I live. Come on up and let's do an experiment. Alice's professor would be proud of us for having good teamwork.

**When is your Spring Break? What do you guys usually do? What do you want to do? Do you want to go home or do you want to go somewhere with your friends?**

Well, Edward, what I want to do is you. In every place and every way imaginable. Let's spend Spring Break together, naked.

**I'm more than willing to attempt to wipe out an entire apple orchard with you, Bella. If we use all those apples, well, luckily we can grow more. So keep the fantasies coming and I'll keep coming and so will you! At least I hope so!**

He was the hottest thing ever. Come for me, with me, on me, in me. All of it!

**I hope you enjoy the picture I'm sending. It's nothing like yours, but it is an honest portrayal of me in the moment that I saw your picture. I hope it makes you laugh.**

**Talk to you soon.**

**Your Edward**

Holy shit! He sent a picture? Damn you, attachment, why didn't you tell me you were there? You should be flashing in fucking neon lights that I have a picture from Edward Cullen. Moron. It was...I started laughing so hard that I nearly fell off my bed. His hand! With lotion! How great was that? He wasn't lying!

I shook off the laughter and focused in on his hand. It was kinda blurry, or I was, but that was totally Edward Cullen's hand. I'd done a lot of studying of those long, strong digits and I knew his fingers better than I knew my own. Hopefully soon I'd know them in person.

I shouldn't answer him while I'm drunk. I might say the wrong thing. But I'm cool. I'm under control. I didn't slip when Rose was talking about Edward, did I? Not that Alice knew she was, but I did. Calling me a perv. She's a perv. So is Edward. He's so cute.

_My sexy Edward,_

_What lovely hands you have! Or hand, since you only sent one. I want them both, you know. All up on me! Did you really use that lotion after you sent the picture? That's so hot. You just don't know how hot that makes me. I'm extremely hot right now. And I'm naked. I should warn you that I'm drunk and might say something stupid. I hope you won't hold it against me. I hope you will hold IT against me. Hehe Get it? Britney Spears for the win._

_Oh my God, did I just say that? See, I am drunk. I would never say that otherwise, although some of her songs are kinda catchy. At least we haven't seen her cooch in the past couple of years. Maybe she got her shit together. Do you want to see mine, Edward? Not my shit, that would be gross. But my cooch. Cooch...what a stupid word. I like pussy better, do you? Well, no, I like penis the best, but that's a weird word too. Very unattractive. We'll go with cock. Can I have yours? I really need it, tonight. Why aren't you here? I keep wishing you were, but you're not yet._

_So you liked my picture, did you? I hoped you might. Hot Teacher Bella is inside me, but that bed Bella is me all the time. Well, not all the time. I don't shoot sexy looks over my shoulder all day long. That would be weird, wouldn't it? Who would do that? Someone like Paris Hilton, probably. She practices those pouty looks in the mirror I bet. She looks like a bird though, don't you think?_

_I'm getting sidetracked by people I hate, like Paris Hilton, and not focusing on people I like, namely you. I'm sorry. Bad Bella. I bet you'd like Bad Bella, wouldn't you? Then you could spank me like you talked about. Did you know I've never been spanked before? I didn't know if I'd like it but when you mentioned it I got all hot and bothered, so I think I would. Let's do an experiment and see. Alice's professor would give us an A. Our experimenting skills are much better than hers._

_Do you know that Alice kicked Jared in the balls today? I know you don't know who Jared is, but trust me when I tell you he deserved it. He actually told her that he would share her with this other guy, this guy that makes her feel as good as you make me feel, except that he doesn't get her off or something. Or he does, but in a romantic way. He doesn't make her scream his name, which is probably good because she doesn't know it. So, Jared told her that she could see the first guy, the romantic one, and then come to him for fucking! Would you do that, Edward? Would you share me with someone else? I'd have to kick you in the balls if you say yes, so answer carefully. Well, actually, me telling you that might change your answer, so forget I said it!_

_Anyway, she kicked Jared and then we came home and watched Girl Power movies and drank. A lot. And Alice and Rose made me leave my phone in my room so I didn't get to talk to you all day long. And that sucked, because I missed you. And now you're going to be on a plane for a billion years and I have to miss you for longer. I hate your trip. I mean, I love it, because that's where I met you. If you'd been home when I asked you to play with me, would you still have? Or would you have been too busy with life and work and family and girls and stuff?_

_I'm whining. I'm sorry. But I thought you would want to know that I would miss you. You're the best part of my day, just like I'm yours. Unless you were kidding when you said that. I hope not, though. Wow, it's a good thing that this email shows me my mistakes! You should see how many red lines I'm getting. But you won't, because I'm editing myself. English teacher in me won't let me send misspelled words, even when I'm drunk. I'm that good, Edward! I'm good at a lot of things. Wanna see?_

_I wanna see you. I loved your hand picture. And I understand why you can't send me more and I'm not mad. I'll give you time. Where would I go? I'm all yours, you know. You breached the wall. I hope you know what a big deal that is. The wall has kept me sane for the past six months, kept me safe. But I don't want to be safe with you. I want to be open and take chances and get down and dirty. I want it all with you._

_By all, I don't mean marriage and stuff. Don't be scared. I mean, I want that someday but I'm not that crazy to think that you'd want to marry some random girl you don't know. You could marry just about anybody, I bet. I'm just glad you're in my life. I hope you stay in it for a good long time. I'd say forever but that would be silly and then take us back to marriage which we are not discussing. That's insane. Alice thinks about marrying her nameless guy but I'm not that crazy. I just want to do dirty things with mine. And you're not nameless. You're my Edward._

_I'm getting too babbly and probably going to scare you away so I should end this here. I think I'll get out my blue car and think about those sexy hands touching me instead of my bullet. Could you send a tongue picture? Oops, Bad Bella appearing again. But that is my favorite thing, just so you know. Oral sex is the best thing ever. Who thought it would be a good idea to put their mouth on a cock or a pussy anyway? That person was a genius. Do you think it was a Bible person? Or a caveman? Oooh, caveman. That would be sexy. You could throw me over your shoulder and take me someplace and ravage me. So hot._

_Okay, I'm leaving now. I'll regret this in the morning. I hope you're laughing at my drunken ramblings. I would laugh but I'm too horny. Off to read your WWF. Did you send me something naughty? I will go see._

_Love,_

_Your Bella_

That was a damn good email if I did say so myself. I totally didn't slip at all. I sent it and pulled up my Words game. Taut? Haha My body is taut right now and needs some release.

**I don't know whether to sit back and watch Rose run her hands down your bare ass or throw her out of the room and do it myself. Both are equally good for the imagination, you know, but the possessive asshole in me would have to do it myself. Though we both know the shirt would be going up instead of down if that were the case.**

This ass is all for you, Edward. Ooh, there's a naughty thought. Would he like that? Of course he would, he was a guy. Would I? I should ask Rose.

**There won't be wildlife within a square mile once I fuck you outside, Bella. Hopefully there won't be any cops to come running either, particularly your father. He is far away from your college, right? I'd still risk it, but I'd rather not be shot while making love to you. Or before. I'd definitely have to be with you at least once before I died.**

See, Alice's dude, there was a way to be romantic and hot as fuck at the same time. He said he'd make love to me and fuck me. Both rock!

**I intend to take you all those places and more. How about in the water? How big is your shower? Do you have a pool? A hot tub?**

Water sex! How had I not thought of that one? Oh yeah, because Tyler sucked and wasn't strong enough to hold me up and fuck me in the shower. Ass.

**I can make you wet with just one sentence, huh? Imagine what I can do when I touch you. Did you like my picture? I know it's just a hand, but you seem to like imagining my hands so I thought it might help with your visualization. Imagine that hand sliding down your body, cupping your wet pussy and pressing against your clit. Does that make you wetter? How are your batteries?**

Batteries fresh. Bella wrecked. God, I want your hands. Soft, strong, sexy hands.

**No substitutes. Just you and me. That's all we need.**

Damn right it is.

_My ass is all yours, Edward. Rose can't have it, though sometimes she says she'd like it. Why do you boys all get excited by that? She totally never would take me, but we like to joke about it. She's hot, too. You'd get off on the image, trust me on that. Do you want my ass, Edward? Are you into that sort of thing? I admit, I never thought about it but it just hit me that some guys totally want that. Do you?_

_My Dad is several hours away. You'd be safe to make me scream. I want you to make me scream. It'll be your name I call when I come in about two minutes. Seriously, that's how good this toy is. Well, that and thoughts of you combined._

_You're definitely not allowed to die without fucking me. You're not allowed to die at all. I would miss you too much._

_No hot tub, no pool, but I do have a shower and tub. And I looooove the idea of water sex. Could you lift me up in the shower and just fuck me against the wall? Are you strong enough, Edward? I hope so, because that's what I'm getting off to tonight._

_Your hands would no doubt make me quite happy, maybe even as happy as your words do. My batteries are charged and so am I._

_You are all I need. I can't wait until your words are reality._

I went back to the game and giggled when I saw I could play tease. He'd like that. Not that I was teasing. I'd back up my words, if he'd just come to me. Soon, Edward. Please.

* * *


	20. Laved

I felt like shit. My head was pounding, my mouth tasted like ass, or what ass would probably taste like if I ever tasted it, not that I was going to. It was way too bright in here. What had we done last night? We drank. Why did we? Boys. Ugh, boys were stupid. Well, Jared was stupid. Edward wasn't stupid. Edward was…oh, shit.

I sat straight up in bed and looked around frantically. I hadn't, had I? There, there was my computer on the floor. Why the hell was it on the floor next to my car? Oh, this could not be good. I picked it up and opened it, hurrying to my email. Nothing new from him, so maybe I hadn't…check the sent mail and oh fuck. I did. I sent him something at 1:37 AM. Fuck. What did I do?

I had to open it. I had to know. Did I tell him I knew who he was? He would never speak to me again if I spewed it out in a drunken email. Shit. Stupid Bella. So fucking stupid. Only one way to know.

Oh my God. Hands? He sent me a picture of his hands and I want them all up on me? Well, that wasn't a lie but what the hell? Britney Spears? Paris Hilton? Cooch? Cock? Oh, my God, I was going to die. I was actually going to kill myself and then die, because this was insane.

Great, I told him I would kick him in the balls if he shared me. Possessive much? And I mentioned Alice's unnamed boyfriend? He'd wonder what in the hell that was all about, if he was still reading by that point. Jeez.

No, I didn't sound stalkery at all when I told him I was all his and he could have me and I wanted his cock and that I missed him. Could it get any worse?

MARRIAGE? Good, Bella, that's just great. He's gone from your life now. How fucking stupid was I?

Well, if he read after the marriage thing, maybe the oral sex/caveman thing kept him around? Edward was susceptible to my sexy ramblings after all. That wasn't so bad. Oh no, I went to _WWF?_ What kind of fuckery had I gotten into there?

I signed it Love? LOVE? I was going to die. What if he took that literally, like I was in love with him? I mean, I sort of was, but only sort of, because I didn't really know him and he was a star and he would never likely fall for me for real beyond the sex thing. I don't know. Why did I sign it that way? Was that a sign?

And I needed to stop obsessing over that and go see what I did on _WWF._ This could be bad. That was where we had our sexy talk. Not that I hadn't tried to have some in the email. Jeez.

Oh, shit. I didn't. I did. I was going to be sick. Had I really asked Edward Cullen if he wanted to fuck me in the ass? UNSEND. WHERE THE FUCK WAS THE UNSEND BUTTON?

Oh, God, I had to breathe. I was hyperventilating. This was not good.

Shower sex. Shower sex was good. I could live with shower sex, but not anal sex. Maybe he'd want to fuck my ass in the shower now. What had I done?

Okay, let's think about this. Other than the anal sex, nothing on _WWF_ was really that bad, like scare him away bad. The marriage talk in the email might send him running, but then if he saw the anal sex thing, he probably ran back toward me. If he liked that, of course. Or did he think I was a freak? Ugh, this sucked. And I'd have to wait God knows how long til he read it, too. Stupid different time zones in the stupid world.

Right. Okay. There was nothing I could do. What is done cannot be undone, unless I can figure out how to get my email back and crash the server for _WWF,_ erasing all their games. Sure, no problem. I'll just put on my genius hacker hat. Fuck, why was I an English major? Computer sciences would have been so much more convenient.

What time was it? 10:23? Well, so much for class. Jeez. Why was I naked? Oh yeah, because I was hot and I had to talk about anal sex and play with myself last night. Gah.

Aspirin. Shower. Aspirin, shower and then coffee and then find Rose and show her what I did so she can calm me the hell down. Okay then.

My shower took some of the edge off and the aspirin would kick in eventually. I wandered into the living room and saw Alice still sleeping on the couch. She didn't make class either. I turned on the coffee and knocked lightly on Rose's door. No response. I poked my head in and saw a perfectly made bed. Ah, that's right, she called Brady. He must have picked her up.

I went back into the kitchen and watched the coffee pot, willing it to fill faster. Finally, I was able to pour myself a cup. I started to shuffle back into my bedroom when I heard the front door open. I looked over and saw Rose. Her hair was wild, her face was splotchy and her eyes were red.

"You look like shit," I told her, because she did, for the first time ever maybe.

"Fuck you." She wandered into the kitchen and grabbed a cup of coffee for herself.

"Are you okay?"

She rolled her eyes. "I had to endure an hour long lecture this morning on limiting myself to drinking on the weekend and perhaps not imbibing at all because I was at a pivotal crossroads in my life and I needed to prepare for med school and adulthood."

My eyes widened. "Your dad said all that? Why did you call him?"

She snorted. "Not my dad, Brady. Who is apparently trying to act like my fucking father. Who does he think he is, lecturing me? Do they study every night over at the frat house? We know damn well that's not true. He pissed me off, so I told him to go to hell and walked my ass home."

"He just let you walk home?"

Rose sneered. "Nobody lets me do anything. Isn't that the issue? It's not like he wasn't out having a beer the other night. So what if I got drunk and had some fun?"

"You're right. I'm sorry."

"Shit, I didn't mean to take it out on you. He just pissed me off, waking me up to lecture me. He didn't seem to have a problem with me being drunk and horny when he was getting his dick wet last night. I told him Jared wasn't going to be the only one walking around with bruised balls if he didn't watch his mouth."

This was bad. I pulled her into my room because she looked like she was going to start shouting. "Ali's still on the couch."

She sank onto my bed and shot a glance at my open laptop. "What did you do last night? Talk to Edward?"

I groaned. "I sent him a drunk email."

"Really?" She seemed to brighten up at that. "Can I read it?"

I knew it would probably make her laugh, so I let her. Sure enough she was giggling and smiling by the end. "Only you would find a way to work Britney Spear's cooch and Paris Hilton into an email to Edward Cullen."

"Oh, it gets worse. Look at this." I handed her the WWF message and just waited.

"Oh my God! You brought up anal sex? He's going to die!" She was really laughing now, clutching her sides with tears rolling down her face. At least they were good tears. "Bella, this is priceless! We need to get you drunk more often!"

"It is not! I signed off with love, Rose! And I talked about how I wasn't going to talk about marriage! I'll be lucky if he ever talks to me again!"

"Are you kidding? You also mentioned oral sex, shower sex and anal sex. You'll be lucky if he doesn't show up at our door tonight with a bottle of lube and a huge smile."

I couldn't help it and I giggled at that image. What would I do? "Bend over, Bella!" Rose stated, waggling her eyebrows. I was done for. I fell on the bed and laughed with her. My head and stomach hurt but I couldn't stop.

"You guys are too loud." We looked up and saw Ali standing in the doorway, rubbing her eyes. Her spiky hair stuck up all over the place and she had a big pillow crease in her left cheek. "What's so funny?"

Shit. "I told Brady that I was going to kick him in the balls like you did Jared. The whole house is talking about it," Rose answered. I shut my laptop and put it aside.

Alice perked up a little at that. "Yeah? What are they saying?"

Rose snorted. "Mostly that he deserved it for being such a dumbass, when I told them what he said to you. You should be proud. It's rare to get guys' on board with ball crushing."

She smiled and sat on the corner of my bed next to me. "I am. Why did you threaten Brady though? I thought you guys were great together."

Rose scowled. "So did I, until he saw fit to lecture me on my life choices and needing to limit my drinking to the weekend. Fuck him. I could ace an Anatomy test while drunk if I wanted to."

She could, too. She was that fucking smart. "Ugh, asshole. Screw Sig Ep. Screw men." Alice scrunched up her face.

"Screw StevenSteele?" I asked.

Alice shook her head and then gasped. "Oh my God, I have to see if he responded to my text!" She was out of the room in a flash.

"Quick thinking," I told Rose.

"Yeah. We have to tell her soon, though. If Edward doesn't run away, which he won't, then I think you should think about telling her. Things are heating up between you two in a major way and if this ever goes off the internet and into reality, your oldest friend should probably know about it."

"I know. I will. I just don't want to upset her."

"She's all into this mystery dude. You'll be fine!"

Alice came in, a frown on her face. "What? Didn't he answer?"

"What kind of name is Jasper?"

Okay, so he wasn't twelve. He was one hundred and twelve. "That's his name?" I asked, making a face of my own.

"Is he a grandpa?" Rose asked, echoing my thoughts.

Alice smacked her foot as she sat back down. "I don't think so. He says that his name is Jasper and it's a real pleasure to officially meet me."

"That sounds grandpa-ish," Rose decided.

"I know! I don't want to insult his name, but what the hell kind of name is Jasper? How am I supposed to yell that out in the throes of passion?"

"How are you supposed to have throes of passion with a grandpa? He'll probably break his hip," I pointed out.

"Stop it! Alright, so his name sucks. I can work with it. Jas, Jazz maybe? Jazz isn't so bad."

"Then he sounds like a wannabe musician," Rose interjected. "But better that than a grandpa."

"Hey, at least you guys don't think he's twelve now," Alice said on a laugh.

"He better not be after you sexted him. I don't want to visit you in jail. Women in prison would be all over me," Rose declared.

"Hey, they'd be all over all of us. I'm not anybody's bitch except you guys'," Alice replied. "And I'm not going to prison. He's perfectly legal."

"And you might get to take advantage of his senior's citizen's discount instead of the kid discount. I bet it's better," Rose told her.

Alice poked her and I laughed even though my head was still killing me. "You could go to Denny's and eat the early bird special at four," I supplied. I got a poke for that as well.

"Okay, so he has a crappy name. He's still a cool guy. I can call him Jay. Jay isn't bad."

"That's better," I decided. "Are you going to ask how old he is?" She was already texting away.

"Done. I didn't ask if he was a grandpa though."

"Good plan." Rose pushed herself off my bed. "I'm going to shower and then go to bed for a few more hours."

"Ugh, that sounds good. I think I'll do the same." Alice stood and looked at the clock. "We missed class."

"That we did and I'm not making the afternoon one either." I could not fathom class today.

"Screw it. See you at dinner," she decided. I snuggled back into my covers as they left the room and shut the door. Maybe I'd sent a stupid email and maybe Rose and Alice had some man problems of their own, but we had each other. We always would.

Xoxoxoxox

I woke up several hours later with a growling stomach. I got out of bed and the apartment was still silent, so Ali and Rose were either still sleeping or out. I felt a lot better. I grabbed an apple and went back to my room to see if Edward had replied yet. Please let him have replied. Please.

His name popped up and I breathed a sigh of relief. Okay. Unless he wrote back to politely tell me to fuck off. He would be too nice to just walk away without a word. Okay. Time to find out. If he left me now I'd only be heartbroken. I could survive. I would.

**My adorably sexy, drunk Bella,**

**Hey, beautiful. How are you feeling? Hopefully better by this time and I pray to God that you're not sorry for sending your email. It was the best I've ever received, drunk or sober! And it has me cursing the distance between us and dying to be with you. You were really naked when you wrote to me? Do you know what that does to me? It's a good thing you ordered me not to die, because my heart was ready to give out at that image. But I can't die without having had you, and I won't. I promise.**

And my heart could beat again. I hadn't scared him off. Thank God!

**That Britney Spears song is catchy and I want nothing more than to hold IT against you, other than to slide IT inside you and make you see stars. What do you think of that plan?**

I am very much in favor of it. Consider me a proponent of said plan, Edward.

**Pussy is a much better than word than cooch and I can think of nothing I'd like to see more. But I know I have to wait until I can see you in person for that, which I'm more than okay with. I've been meaning to ask you, when is your Spring Break? I'm thinking I need a real vacation and maybe, if our phone talks go well and you want to, of course, maybe I could come to Washington? I have much to tell you before I do, but I just wanted to float the idea out there and see what you thought.**

Was he serious? Oh my God. Could he mean it? Could I be meeting Edward Cullen in a couple of weeks? Did he only want to meet me because of the anal thing? Shit. Literally. What would I do?

**I loved your picture. Both of them. Fantasy Bella is obviously hot but real Bella is even sexier, all rumpled and looking like she wants to be had. I want to have you, Bella. Have no doubt about that. And I have no doubt that you would like the spanking I gave you. It wouldn't be too hard, just enough to turn your cheeks pink and have you panting for my cock. Want to give it a try?**

Oh, God. Yes? Yes, maybe in a couple weeks? Holy shit.

**I don't know who Jared is, but if he was honestly stupid enough to be willing to share your friend with another man, then he deserved it. Even without the threat of a kick in the balls, I can assure you that I wouldn't share you, ever. Just the thought of that makes me angry. You turn me into a posssessive bastard, Bella, even if I don't have a right to be. I can't help how I feel though, can I?**

No, Edward, and I love that you feel that way. I don't want to share you either, but I don't have any choice in that, do I? You belong to the world, in a way. Ugh. Why'd you have to be so wonderful and so hot at the same time?

**I missed you too, Bella. More than you can possibly know. When I didn't hear from you before I got on my flight, I was panicked that something had happened. I'm glad you were just drinking and watching Girl-power movies with your friends. I wish I could have watched with you and then dragged you away to have some fun with you. Would that have been okay?**

Yes. Fuck my friends. Well, don't, literally, but I mean, they could see me the next day.

**I would most assuredly have played with you and when you left me your adorably rambly message, how could I not respond? If I had been home, the only difference would be that I would probably already have come to Washington to meet you and hopefully kiss and touch and make love to you, if you wanted me to.**

Make love? Do you know what you do to me every time you say it like that, Edward? Like it might be more?

**You've breached my wall as well, Bella, and I'm glad for it. I didn't know how much I needed you until you appeared in my life with your sweet, sexy words. I'm addicted to you now, even more than I'm addicted to WWF. So keep on giving me my hits, okay?**

You can mainline me.

**You're not going to scare me off. I can't imagine anything you could say that would do that!**

I can. Far too easily. I hope you don't run, when I tell you. I can only swear that I just wanted to know you and I never thought I'd feel for you what I do now, or that you would even think of caring about me, Edward. Please don't hate me.

**A tongue picture? Oh Bella, you killed me with that one. I can't say I know who invented oral sex. I wonder if Google has the answer? I might just have to look that up later and send a thank you to their descendants. Or a tasteful present or something. What is a tasteful present for oral sex? Let me guess, a tongue picture? Haha I'll see what I can do on that front. That might be hard to self-take and I'd have a hard time explaining why I needed a picture of my tongue to my co-workers.**

Oh, forget the picture, Edward. Give me the real thing.

**For the record, oral sex is my favorite thing to give. So I think we're well matched, not that I didn't know that already.**

Yes, I whimpered again. Jeez.

**Thank your for this email. You took the edge of my day and made me feel good again. I adored it, much as I adore you.**

You do? I do, too. I mean, I really, really do.

**Love,**

**Edward.**

He used love, too! It didn't mean anything, probably, but it felt good to read it.

Okay, now to see what he said on _WWF_ to my ridiculous anal stuff. Jeez.

**I very much want your ass, Bella.**

Oh, God.

**I mean that in the non-literal sense. For the literal, uh, well, as you pointed out I'm a guy and I more than likely wouldn't say no, but I think that's something we'd have to come to a mutual decision on when we knew each other a lot better.**

Oh, thank God. He wouldn't show up with a bottle of lube and tell me to bend over. Now why did that make me sort of sad? I'm a wreck.

**Okay, what I meant to say is yes, I would like that, someday, with you. If you wanted. If not, that's cool, too. I just want you, anyway I can have you.**

You melt my heart, Edward. You truly do.

**Did you play after you got done writing me, baby? And did you scream my name? I can't tell you how badly I want to hear you do that for real.**

Did that mean he wanted phone sex when we talked? I kind of did, but I was scared. Shit. Play it by ear when it happens. And he called me baby. How hot was that?

**I would be more than happy to lift you up and fuck you in the shower, Bella. In fact, in about two minutes, that's exactly what I'm doing to be doing mentally while I'm jerking off in the shower. I'm going to pretend you're right there with me and I'm sliding inside your wet, hot pussy as you moan my name. I'll push you up against the cold tiles which will make you gasp and tighten around me and I'll kiss you and fuck you as the water beats down on us. Does that work for you?**

Yeah, yeah, you could say that works. I'm hot again. So very hot.

**You're all I need as well, Bella. I can't wait until our words are reality either. Hopefully very soon.**

Soon. Like in two weeks soon? Well, two weeks and a day, to be exact, if he wanted to come on Friday or whatever, to have extra time. What do I say? Just tell him and say if he wants, sure, be all cool and casual like I don't care? Ugh. This is hard. Stop over thinking and just write to the man.

_Edward,_

_I can't begin to tell you how glad I am that I didn't send you scurrying off into the night, never to be heard from again. I was mortified when I read my email to you. I'm not usually quite that ridiculous. Well, I guess you know that. But I'm glad you enjoyed it and didn't run. Truly glad._

_I'm feeling okay, although the three of us were worse for the wear this morning. We didn't go to one class between us! But I feel better now, which is what matters. It was a hell of a night. Rose broke up with her boyfriend over it, I guess. And Alice, well, you know what her day was like apparently. And I woke to my email and a fear that I'd frightened you a way. What a group we are!_

_I am 100% amenable to your plan of holding IT against me and putting IT inside me. And I still cannot believe I used a Britney Spears song to hit on you. But you liked it well enough, didn't you?_

_My Spring Break is in two weeks; well, two weeks from Friday, so just about two weeks. And I'd be thrilled if you came to visit. If you want to, that is. I'm sure we could find some fun things to do, or we could just hang out and do…whatever._

It was so much easier to hit on him when I didn't think he might actually be around me. I hoped, I wanted, but for it to be real? Scared me shitless. But I still wanted. Such a conundrum.

_Wow, it's kinda scary when it's real, isn't it? I do want it, everything we've talked about, but now that you might actually come here it's almost hard to say it. Which is ridiculous because I already did say it and I meant it. And I mean it. Ugh. Okay, moving on._

_Spanking, yes, I think I would like it. I think I would like most anything with you. If your words turn me on, what will the rest of you do? I may not be coherent after a week with you, but that's okay. It'll be worth it._

_I love that you're possessive of me. It makes me feel like you want me as much as I want you. I'm glad you miss me too. It seems weird but it feels right, doesn't it?_

_I'm sorry about the tongue request. That was…incredibly bad of me. How about we save that to surprise me with when you visit? There, I just sucked it up and got more comfortable. Oooh, I said suck. Do you like receiving as much as you like giving, Edward? I believe in fair play, after all._

There, I could still be me, even with reality staring me in the face. If I could be me when he was here, that would be even better.

_You adore me? I adore you right back. So much. Maybe too much. Time will tell._

_Have a safe trip and I'll talk to you when I talk to you. Know that I'm thinking of you even when we can't talk._

_Love,_

_Bella._

There. I said it back, which was okay because he said it back. Right.

Now to face the _WWF_ music.

_You can definitely have my ass in the non-literal sense. I don't know quite what came over me when I asked that question last night. Not that I might not want to do that, someday, but I definitely wouldn't want to over Spring Break, if that happens. You know? Like you said, it's a matter of trust. But I'm flattered that you'd do it if I wanted to. You're such a gentleman._

_Ha! I called you a gentleman for wanting to fuck my ass. That has to be a first! I kinda love it though!_

_I want you to hear me as well. And I want to hear you, too. Maybe Monday? Maybe later? I guess we'll see how it goes. You can't really plan phone sex can you? We'll see what happens, right?_

_Your shower fantasy just about killed me, Edward. It's long been a dream of mine and something I've never done. I'd love to have you lift me and fuck me while I wrapped my legs around you and we got all wet and slippery under the spray. Let's add that to the list, shall we? I'm eating an apple right now, you know!_

_Soon, Edward. I could grow to love that word._

My letters still sucked but I could play laved or laced and of course I chose laved. May as well use the sexy word while I could. I sent it off and studied my apple. I might have to stock up on these in a couple weeks. Could he really be here that soon? I couldn't wait to find out.


	21. Zit

Today was the day. I couldn't stop looking at the time and calculating how many hours it was until eight PM. Yes, it took me a few seconds. I wasn't a math major and I was excited. And nervous. So very nervous. Class provided little distraction, very little, but it was something. I hadn't really needed the cell phone vibrating on the desk behind me though. Fearing that I'd brought my vibrator to class with me was not fun.

These past few days had been interminable. Edward had been traveling, so we'd hardly talked except for little emails on his end. And I felt like an idiot writing huge ones to him, so I wrote short, sweet ones back. Mostly they were about how we missed one another and couldn't wait until he was home. There was some talk about the whole Spring Break thing, which made butterflies take off in my stomach. I had less than two weeks now to tell Edward that I knew who he was. I hoped to God he wouldn't change his mind about coming to see me then. Had I really done anything so wrong? The odds of finding him were astronomical. And I'd liked the person I found before I knew for sure it was him. Hopefully he'd understand that.

I'd considered not telling him at all, but Rose was right. There were too many unknowns if I didn't do that. If we met and we were as great in person as we were on the computer, I didn't want that hanging over my head. I wanted to enjoy him and have him enjoy me. I'd had a relationship filled with lies last time and I didn't want to start a new one, if that's what we were doing, with any. He needed to know.

So did Alice. I'd made up my mind. I was telling her tonight. She was all excited about Jasper and no longer thinking she had Edward, so maybe she'd be happy that I found him. I knew she'd be pissed that I hadn't told her, but hopefully she'd forgive me. I didn't want anything putting a damper on my call with Edward tonight.

On top of the fact that our emailing had been sporadic, our _WWF_ had been nonexistent. First their server was down, which of course couldn't have happened when my ass comment was sent, thanks stupid game, but then Edward's phone wouldn't pull it up. His frustration over that had made me laugh. I told him that at least the people of Australia weren't caught up in the lotion shortage. He hadn't been amused.

Lotion…hmm, would he have some on hand tonight? Did I want him to? I'd never had phone sex before, though Tyler had fumbled through some sexy talk from time to time over the summer. He wasn't good at it and I wasn't about to play with him on the phone. What did it say that I was likely willing to do it with Edward? It said that Edward was super sexy and his words turned me on, that's what it said. Gah!

I stopped off at Starbucks and got a coffee and blueberry muffin to eat before I went to the library. May as well work on the stupid paper my lovely professor had seen fit to assign right before Spring Break. I took out my laptop to fire off a quick email to Edward. He couldn't call me if he didn't have my phone number, could he?

_Edward,_

_Hopefully you're home safe and sound and sleeping. Your body has to be all messed up from the time changes, huh? I know when I went to Florida it took me days to adjust and I wasn't all over the globe the way you were._

_Anyway, I figured since tonight is the night we're finally going to talk; I should send you my number. Are you nervous at all? I am, which is weird, because it's so easy to talk to you now. I guess I just want it to be the same when I actually hear you. You know what I mean?_

_Sorry this is short but I've got to hit the library and get this paper done before our talk tonight. I've missed you and I look forward to catching up._

_My number is 206-555-2382. I'll talk to you at eight. Can't wait!_

_Love,_

_Bella._

"Bella?" I jerked my head up from my screen and saw Colin standing next to my table.

I shut my computer and tried to smile. "Hi, Colin."

"Hey, do you mind if I join you?"

Yes. Damn, Bella, what did he ever do to you? "Sure, for a few. I've got to hit the library soon."

He slid into the seat across from me and grinned. "Funny that I ran into you twice in a week when I haven't seen you in months. How have you been?"

How to answer that question? He already knew the shit in my world. "Other than the obvious, pretty good. Looking forward to Spring Break. What brings you to campus?"

His smile dimmed a little but he kept it plastered on his face. "Law school. Actually I have to head over to the library myself. Maybe we could walk together?"

Ugh. Now he wanted to walk with me? Why was he all up in my space? Why was I being a bitch? "Sure, I guess." Now what?

"So, I heard about my brother and Rose."

I laughed. "Yeah, he tried stopping by to see her last night. She wasn't overly happy about it."

He shook his head. He really was a good looking guy. Not Edward hot, but then few were. But he was wearing a suit which always increased the hotness of a man in my experience. Ooh, maybe Edward would do a movie where he wore a suit. He could be a lawyer or a hot business man.

"Sometimes he takes himself too seriously. It's a shame, though. They were a good couple. He misses her."

Was that what he was doing? Trying to get an in for his brother? Wrong person to hit up, Colin. "Rose has a father she already doesn't like very much. She doesn't need two." Her parents were both super successful doctors, she hardly ever saw them growing up and never saw them now. She claimed to like it that way though.

He laughed and flashed super white teeth at me. Who was his dentist? "Sometimes he acts like he's forty-two instead of twenty-two."

"Says the guy in the suit," I pointed out, laughing.

He raised his coffee cup to me. "Touche. I'm working in my dad's law office, getting some real life experience. The suit's a part of that, but I do feel like an idiot walking around campus. People think I'm a teacher." His dimples flashed as he smiled.

"Nothing wrong with teachers," I told him, sort of testily. He was making fun of my profession after all.

"That's right; you're going to be one, aren't you? I must say, I wish I had a teacher that looked like you."

I jerked at that. He wasn't allowed to say that. Edward said that. I was Edward's teacher, not Colin's.

"Um, thanks. Well, I've got to get going." He stood with me and walked to the door, holding it open for me.

"We're going to the same place, remember?"

Damn it. "Isn't there a law library you use?"

He laughed and fell into step beside me. "Yes, but they do allow us to use the main library too. We're not lepers."

Right. I was being a bitch again. "Yeah."

We walked in silence for a couple of minutes and I hoped to God he was done talking with me. And he better not try to sit next to me in the library. He wasn't a distraction from the Edward call. He was making me miss him more than I already was.

"So, Bella, did Rose give you my number?"

I jumped in surprise. Shit. "Uh, yeah, she did." What was I supposed to say now?

"Okay, I thought maybe my brother pissed her off too bad and she didn't."

"Nope, she did." Holy awkward, Batman. What the hell was I supposed to say now?

"Well, good. I know with everything going on you probably hate every guy in the frat but, well, I'm not part of that anymore and I'd really like to take you out sometime, when you're ready."

I looked up at him and he was smiling and looking kind of nervous. "Thanks. I have it. I'm…possibly involved with somebody right now."

"Possibly?" he asked, no longer smiling.

It's very complicated, Colin. Trust me. "Still figuring it out."

"Well, when you figure it out, let me know." We were at the library and he held the door for me again. "Thanks for the coffee and the walk, Bella. It was nice spending time with you."

It was? I hadn't said hardly anything. "You too."

He smiled and gave me an awkward wave. "Hopefully I'll talk to you soon."

"Okay?" He was off then and I blew out a relieved breath. I just sucked at talking to guys. Oh, God, what if I was like that with Edward tonight? No, I couldn't be. Edward was different. I could do this. In eight very long hours, I'd be talking to him. Hurry up, stupid day.

I sat at a table in the back of the library and got my computer out. I'd work and make time fly by. Tonight would be amazing. It had to be.

Xoxoxoxox

I looked up from the pan where I was sautéing the chicken, peppers and onions. We were having quesadillas tonight. Only an hour and a half to go. "Ready."

Alice brought over plates with tortillas on them and I scooped the mix onto it. She passed the plates to Rose who sprinkled on the cheese and slapped on the tomatoes and sour cream. We sat down to that and Spanish rice and I took a breath. Rose met my eyes and winked. She knew that I was finally going to come clean.

"Alice, there's something I need to tell you."

She looked up from her plate, her grin a mile wide. "I already know and I'm so excited for you!"

I blinked in surprise. "You do?" Had I been that obvious?

"Of course! And he's perfect for you, Bella! I get why you didn't want to tell me, but that's just silly. I'm happy with Jasper now."

Rose looked as shocked by this as I was. "You do? I mean, I'm glad you're happy but I thought…"

"Bella, listen, just because we all had bad experiences with the Sig Eps doesn't mean you will again. Colin's not even really a Sig Ep anymore. He's never at any of their parties or anything. Don't sweat it." She bit into her quesadilla. "So good," she murmured around a mouthful of food.

Damn it. Of course she thought I was talking about Colin. Wait, how did she even know about him? "How'd you know about Colin?"

She swallowed. "I saw you two walking across campus today. You looked so nervous! Don't worry, though, you looked great together. That guy can really fill out a suit! And he's way more mature than Brady. Sorry, Rose, but it's true."

Rose snorted. "I don't know about that, since Brady was doing a great impression of a middle-aged man last time I saw him."

"Well, yeah, but you know what I mean. He's in law school, he has a job, he has money, he's super hot…I'm happy for you, Bella."

"I didn't know you saw Colin today," Rose eyed me before I could say anything and correct Alice's very wrong impression.

"Uh, yeah, he turned up at Starbucks and we were both going to the library so he walked me over. We're not going out," I told Alice.

"But he wants to, doesn't he? I saw how he was looking at you." Alice nodded knowingly. "I know that look."

I sighed. "Yeah, he does but…"

"No buts, Bella! You've been out of the dating world for too long and Colin's a great guy to get back into it with. He'll treat you well and won't get drunk and slobber all over you."

He was probably a good guy to date, but he wasn't Edward. "I'm just not interested in him. He's not…"

"How do you know until you go? One date, Bella, would that be so bad?" Jesus, was he paying her? Why so pushy?

"Wait, did he say anything about Brady?" Rose asked. Damn it, she was supposed to be helping me, not pumping me for information. Then again, I should have told her I ran into Brady's brother. Ugh.

"He said that Brady misses you and takes life too seriously."

She sniffed. "I'll say. If stuffy lawyer man agrees, that's saying something."

I laughed. "He said he was a forty-two year old trapped in a twenty-two year old's body."

Rose sighed. "And such a great body it was. Oh well, that's done."

"You're not going to give him a second chance?" Alice asked curiously.

"Of course not. I don't do second chances. Nobody controls me. Nobody," Rose declared, her eyes snapping with temper.

"I need to be more like that," Alice decided, before turning to me again. "Anyway, he sees his brother's faults, so that's good. You really should go out with him."

"I can't." I was going to do it. Now. "I've been talking…" I broke off when Alice's purse began singing.

_I'm a Cowboy….on a steel horse I ride. I'm wanted, waaaaanted, dead or alive."_

She let out an unholy shriek and dove toward the counter to grab it. "Oh my God, he's calling me!"

There could only be one person who got that tone. "Jasper?"

"Yes! Oh my God, I'm so excited!" She brought her phone out as the tone started up again. I should watch Young Guns again. That was a good movie.

"Hello," she breathed into the phone. I raised an eyebrow at Rose. It was all sexy and pornish sounding. Alice should totally be a phone sex operator. I should work on sounding like her for when Edward called me in…holy shit, an hour.

"I'm sorry, what?" she said in her normal voice. "Woman" she mouthed at us.

Jasper was a woman? What the fuck?

She shrugged and put her phone on speaker, probably hoping that if this was Jasper's wife or girlfriend that we'd come to her rescue or something. "I said, who is this?"

Alice glared at the phone. "This is the person you called, who is this?"

"This is the person who pays for this phone and wants to know why my son has used up all our allotted texting time? Why is this number appearing thousands of times on my phone bill?"

Oh shit. He was twelve. Or he was a loser living in his mom's basement and letting her pay all his bills. Ew. Rose and I exchanged nervous glances. Alice looked deadly pale. "Um, I'm a friend of Jasper's?" she asked.

"How does he have a friend in Seattle? Did you go to school with him?" she demanded.

"Uh, yes?" Alice asked again. She sank back into her chair looking very much like she might be sick. I could tell she was finally worried about the twelve year old thing as well.

"Are you his girlfriend? He hasn't told me a thing about you." The voice on the other end of the line was calmer now.

"Um, we're just talking?" Alice asked again.

"Well, honey, talking is well and good but maybe you two could cool off the texts. Are you coming home in time for prom? Has he asked you?"

Alice went pure white then and her gray eyes looked like they were going to pop out of her head. "Prom?"

"Yes, Junior Prom! It's April 15th and I'd given up any hope of him going. He doesn't tell me a thing, clearly. Should I take him out to get fitted for a tux?" She was fretting into the phone while Alice appeared to be going into convulsions. She was grasping the table so hard her knuckles were white, which made them match her face.

"I'm sorry, how rude of me, I didn't even introduced myself. I'm Jeannie Whitlock, Jasper's Mom. What's your name?"

"Alice," she managed to choke out.

"Well, isn't that a pretty name? So will you be home for prom, sweetie?" Her southern drawl became more pronounced when she spoke endearments.

"I…I…" It was clear that Alice wasn't going to be able to say anything coherent so I took the phone from her.

"Hi, this is Ali's Mom, Celia. She's sick, the poor dear." Dear, that was mom-like, right?

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that! I hope she feels better real soon! I was just asking her if she was going to make it back to town for prom?"

Jeez. "I'm afraid not. We just got settled up here and we can't really afford to…"

"Oh, money's no option! We'd absolutely fly her out if she wanted to go." Jeez, they were desperate. How much of a loser was her son that she had to buy him a date?

"Uh, that's real nice of you but we could never…"

"Don't be silly! I'm dying to meet Jasper's girlfriend."

Overbearing woman. "Her father doesn't let her date, I'm afraid." I tried to sound severe. "We weren't aware that she was speaking to a boy from home. I've yet to get my phone bill."

The woman, Jeannie, laughed. "Oh, you're in for a surprise! I hope she doesn't get in too much trouble."

"No, I'll see to it that he doesn't get too mad. You know how it is, moving at that age." Rose was trying to comfort Alice and laughing silently at my frantic lies.

"Seventeen is a terrible age! Jasper used to tell me every little thing but now he's sealed up tighter than Fort Knox! My word, I wouldn't know a thing that boy was doing if I hadn't gotten this bill! I have to tell you, I'm just glad he's finally interested in someone. He kept telling me all the girls around here were too immature! I guess your Alice is an old soul."

Alice let out a sobbing laugh and I fought my own. "Yes, she is. I really must check on her, Jeannie."

"Okay, well, you let us know if she wants to come to prom. We'd be happy to take care of it."

"Will do, thank you." I hung up and stared at Alice and Rose.

"Prom!" she shouted. "Junior fucking prom? Oh my God!"

I didn't know what to do so of course I blurted out the first thing in my head. "Well, at least she thinks you're his age and won't be pressing charges."

"Seventeen! My soul mate is seventeen? Jesus!" She was out of Rose's arms and storming around, her face red instead of white now. Alice in a rage was quite a sight to see.

"You were right, all along! I sent him…oh God!" She kicked her chair. "I said those things to a teenager!"

"Well," Rose said. "He's almost legal. And when you're thirty he'll be twenty-five. That could be kind of hot. You're a cougar."

"I'm not waiting eight years for him to turn twenty-five!" she shouted. "He's a kid! I told him I wanted to blow him! Bella's right, I'm going to jail."

"You're not going to jail. His mom thinks you're his age, thanks to Bella. Good job, by the way," Rose complimented me.

"Thanks. It was disturbingly easy to lie to her."

"Yes, thanks, Bella, for saving my ass. Ugh. Never again. I'm never talking to a guy on the computer, phone or in person without seeing his damn driver's license and maybe a birth certificate." She took a deep breath and sat back down.

Nothing like going a little overboard, though I could understand her mortification. "Well, that might be taking it a little to the extreme but…"

"You don't know the shit I said to him, Bella! I told him I wanted him to fuck me on the bear skin rug! Ugh, gross!"

"Well, I mean, he's seventeen, not twelve. He's probably got a sort of decent body and…" I broke off, because really, what could I say?

"He probably looks like that kid on _2 ½ Men!"_ she shouted. "His Mom, didn't she practically throw money at you to let your daughter come visit? She tried to buy me for him! He's a loser. I'm a loser for falling for a teenage loser! God." She pushed her plate away. "I really might be sick."

"Ali, it'll be okay. You just need to…"

"Join a convent, become a lesbian, call Jared and let him fuck me so hard that I forget my name, let alone Jasper's," she finished. "Believe me; I'm working on all the options."

"You better not use that last option or I'll kick your ass myself," Rose told her. Alice glared at her but Rose glared right back. "Fucking Jared is not an option or an answer. You fell for this k…Jasper because he was nothing like Jared. Just because he isn't quite what you thought he was doesn't mean you should fall back into old patterns. I'm not going back to Brady, you're not going back to Jared and that's that."

Alice's shoulders slumped. "I know, you're right. I'm just freaking out. I really thought he was the one, my perfect match."

"There's no such thing as a perfect match," Rose told her. I wanted to dispute that as Edward came to mind but Alice didn't need that right now. "However young he was, Jasper showed you what you want. No settling for less. Be single with us for awhile."

"Well, with you, maybe. Bella needs to go out with Colin." Ugh, she was back on that.

Rose shook her head. "That's up to her, when she's ready. Meanwhile, it'll be just the three of us. That's always worked for the best anyway."

"Yeah." Alice smiled shakily and wiped away tears I hadn't realized she was crying. "Thank God for you two." She stood and hugged Rose and then me. "I'm going to go lay down for awhile. I really don't feel good."

"I don't blame you," I told her. "Get some sleep and we'll see you in the morning."

"Yeah." She walked into her room, leaving her phone on the table. I thought about telling her but maybe it was for the best that she stay away from it for tonight. Rose saw what I was looking at and pocketed it. We were of a like mind there.

"Well," Rose said, sitting back down next to me. "That was insane."

"Uh, yeah."

"I can't believe he's seventeen. I mean, it's better than the little kid I was picturing but still."

"I know." I sighed. "I didn't tell her about Edward."

"I know. That's not going to go over too well now, if it ever was."

She was right. I'd waited too long. "This blows."

"Hey." Rose touched my arm. "Don't let this diminish your excitement for tonight. You talk to him. See how it goes. If he really wants to come see you, you're going to have to tell her. It doesn't have to be today. We'll play it by ear and hope her mood improves before we have to deal with it."

"Right." I closed my eyes and felt the butterflies come back. Good ones. The ones that told me Edward would be calling soon.

"Go in your room, get into something sexy and make sure your toy's nearby," she advised.

"Jeez, Rose, I don't know that we're doing that." How embarrassing. "Don't listen at my door."

She threw back her head and laughed. "Bella, I'm not that much of a pervert. I want details tomorrow."

I stood and took my dish to the sink. "I've got that. Go."

"Okay." I took a deep breath. "I can do this."

"Yeah you can. Go make me proud!" She slapped my ass as I walked past her and I shot her the finger. "Just getting you in the mood," she snickered.

"Yeah, yeah."

I went into my room and looked at my phone. It was plugged in and I checked the charge. Full. Still thirty minutes to go. I may as well pull up _WWF_ and see if he'd finally played. Email first though.

**Bella,**

**I am alive and well. Better than well, actually, now that I have your number. I'm grinning like a fool in my kitchen. I'm very excited to talk to you but yes, I'm nervous as well. Just be you and I'll be me and we'll be okay, right? That hasn't gone wrong for us so far!**

**I can't wait to hear your voice. I've imagined it countless times in my head but there's no way of narrowing something like that down, even knowing what you look like.**

**You finish up your paper like a good girl so I don't have to punish you, unless you want me to, of course. I'll talk to you in a few hours.**

**Love,**

**Edward**

Punish? Crap. I was wet already. May as well check _WWF_ now. I couldn't get anymore worked up.

**A gentleman? I admit, I tried my best. You're right, maybe someday we'll get to that point but for now I think we'll stick to showers and desks and hot teachers, okay? Those are enough to nearly kill me anyway; we don't need to up the ante any further!**

**I'm going to talk to you in a few hours, which feels like a lifetime from now. I guess you can plan phone sex, but where's the fun in that? If it happens, it happens. If not, I'm sure I'm going to enjoy just hearing you, Bella. It feels like I wanted that for years instead of days. 8:00 PM cannot come soon enough!**

**The shower is very much on the list. It's starred in my fantasies every time I've stepped into the water. You just don't know what you do to me, do you? Or maybe you do and you're having fun torturing me. That's another punishable offense, you know.**

**Soon, Bella. I can't wait.**

Lord help me, he talked about punishment again. Thank God we were off the ass thing. We could revisit that in a few months or years maybe.

May as well answer the _WWF_ at least.

_So, you're calling me in thirty minutes and I'm killing time by reading your messages. Short, dirty and sexy. And you say I'm killing you?_

_I'm nervous, very nervous, but excited too. Hopefully by the time you read this, we will have talked and all will have gone well. I hope I don't sound like a babbling idiot, although I did in that drunk email and you still liked me. How did I get so lucky?_

_All this talk of punishment makes me tingly, Edward. I have a feeling talking to you will as well. I can't wait to see what other feelings you bring me. I bet they'll be very good._

_Talk to you soon._

_Your, Bella._

There. That was a sexy, confident ending, after I called myself a babbler of course. Well, that was me, a mix of things. He knew that by now. He'd played horsed, which wasn't overly sexy. Hopefully he wasn't hung like a horse. A nice sized dick would be good, but not a horse one. If it was, it would never come near my ass for sure.

My letters still kinda sucked, at least with what the board was giving me. And I didn't think I had anything sexy this time either, unless I played tit again but that wouldn't get me any points. Zit, double word score was going to have to do it. Zit. How unsexy could I get right before I talked to him? That's okay, my _WWF_ words don't have to be sexy, my phone words do. Please let me sound like the semi-intelligent college student that I am and not some teenager like Alice's Jasper. What was I going to do to cushion that blow when I told her about Edward?

One thing at a time. Just take it all as it comes and it'll all work out, right?

* * *


	22. The Call

It was nearly eight o'clock. I may or may not have been sitting on my bed chewing on my nails for the past fifteen minutes. I should be in with Alice, though Rose said she'd take care of her. It was terrible. Here I was about to talk to my guy and hers turned out to be in high school. I felt bad. But not bad enough to forgo my phone call.

What if I sounded like a moron on the phone? Worse, what if I went mute? Or what if I talked nonstop and didn't let him get a word in edgewise? What if I bored him? I was boring. I didn't live some fancy Hollywood life, jetting off to Paris to shop and lunching at Spago. Was Spago even still popular? Shit, see, I don't know this stuff!

My phone rang and vibrated in my hand, causing me to jump and almost drop it. Jeez, Bella, calm the hell down. No more time to worry. Just answer.

"Hello." Thank God I hadn't squeaked. I felt like I was going to. I needed to breathe.

"Hi, Bella?" Oh, Jesus, it was him. I'd know that voice anywhere. This was real. I mean, it had always been real, but this was even more real now. Shit, talk to him, Bella.

"Yes, this is Bella." Look at me, all calm and cool sounding. I can totally do this. He's just the most handsome man in the world. No problem.

"Hi, it's Edward." Oh, believe me, I know. I choked out some ridiculous laugh. He was going to hang up on me any moment now.

"I figured. You're right on time." Thankfully. If I had to wait any longer I might have chewed my fingers down to the nubs. Alice was going to kill me when she saw my nails.

"My father told me never to keep a lady waiting. We did say eight, did we not?" God, he was sexy. That voice alone, talking to me, was making me wet. Good thing I'd kicked off my shorts and underwear when I got in my room. I totally hadn't done it in case he wanted to sex me up. That was my story and I was sticking to it.

"We did. And I'm glad to finally talk to you. It seems like we've been waiting forever." Longest sixteen days of my life. And some of the best, which was kind of sad, but I didn't care.

"So true. This has been the longest day in the world and I slept for well over half of it." See how we were on the same wavelength? I felt myself calming at that thought.

"You must be glad to be home. Just hearing about all that travel exhausted me. Plus, nothing beats sleeping in your own bed." Unless you're sleeping with me in mine. That would be better. Or we could use yours. You probably have those super luxurious billion thread count sheets, don't you? I bet they'd feel good on my naked skin while you thrust…crap. I needed to stop. Focus on him, Bella. Not on what his naked body could be doing to you.

"I'm very glad to be home, but I'm even happier to be closer to you." You can get even closer if you want, like all the way inside me. No, that wasn't right. I mean, it was, but he'd said something incredibly sweet and I needed to respond in kind. How did he make me feel like someone, I don't know, special, when he uttered just a few words?

"Bella?"

Great, look what you did? All those sexy thoughts and he thinks you're bored or something. "I'm here."

"Okay…" He dragged it out. Crap, what do I say about my pause? Partial truth.

"I was just thinking that you always know how to make me feel good. I was sitting here waiting for you to call, all nervous that you either wouldn't or that I'd bore you to tears or that it wouldn't be the same when we actually spoke to one another and then you go and say you're happy to be closer to me and it made me feel, I don't know. Really good. I'm sorry I'm babbling. I'm a little nervous as I said." Well, that was some verbal spew, Bella. Good job. Jeez.

"Don't be nervous. I won't bite you. Not right now, anyway. I physically can't." I giggled. That would be okay with me. Biting always made me think of Alice, though, which definitely wasn't sexy.

"If you bite me, you'll get timeout. Alice was a biter in kindergarten. She constantly spent time in the corner."

His beautiful laugh rang through the line. God, he was sexy. "From biting to ball kicking huh? Remind me to stay away from that girl."

"She's not even the scary one!" Rose would be offended if Edward were more afraid of Alice than her. "Truly, though, Jared had that coming. Who tells a girl that she should do all the boring dating stuff with one guy and then let him have the sexy stuff?"

"Nobody worth spending time with. Would you really put me in timeout if I bit you?"

Hmm, would I? "I don't know, what kind of bite are we talking? A love bite or actually drawing blood like a vampire? Because vampires are sexy in books and movies but I really don't like to bleed." That was an understatement. Blood squicked me out.

"I would never draw blood. Maybe a nice little mark to show that you were taken, but no breaking the skin."

Shit, that was hot. Mark me, Edward. I laughed and it sounded weird, all breathless and phone sex operatorish. Maybe I'd absorbed Alice's gift. "A hickey, Edward? Are we sixteen?"

"No, thank God. You wouldn't have liked me at sixteen. I was a total dork."

My Edward? A dork? "I find that hard to believe."

"No, I really was. I shot up to my full height around then but I was skinny as a rail and got picked on quite a bit, although my brother put a stop to that rather quickly. I started working out with him and by the time I was seventeen I filled out and kind of came into my own."

Ha, maybe there was hope for Jasper yet. "Seventeen, huh? I should tell Alice that."

"Um, why?"

Dumbass, you can't tell him about that yet. I laughed and tried to cover. "It's a long story, one that I will definitely tell you someday but not now." After you know what I did and hopefully don't hate me.

"Something to look forward to, then."

"Yeah. You're lucky you have a big brother looking out for you. I always wanted one, but of course that wasn't in the cards." No siblings for me.

"Your dad never remarried?" He sounded so sympathetic when he asked. I melted.

"No. He actually really didn't date much when I was growing up, although he sometimes worked the night shift and came home smelling like perfume." I laughed, remembering how unsubtle my dad truly was. He thought he fooled me though. "I pretended not to notice."

His own laughter filled the line. "I bet you did. There's nothing worse than knowing your parents are having sex, unless of course you actually see them."

Ick! "Did you?"

"No, thank God. My brother did, though. Then, in true brotherly fashion, he proceeded to tell me about it. He said if he had to be traumatized, then so did I. I was fifteen and a virgin then. It put me off sex for quite awhile." Maybe I was lucky NOT to have a sibling.

I let out my weirdest laugh yet at the thought of Edward and sex. I couldn't help it.

"Are you okay?" Now he thinks you're a weirdo, Bella. Good job.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking that you don't have that problem now." Not at all.

He let out the sexiest groan I ever heard. "No, I don't. Instead I've regressed to when I was thirteen and discovered boobs for the first time. Though I think I jerked off even less then."

I couldn't stop the laugh that escaped at that one. At least were on the same page. "Tell me about it. Someone behind me in one of my classes had their phone sitting on their desk on vibrate and I swear I thought my car was in my bookbag and turned on by accident. I about had a heart attack." That would have sucked, though maybe my Feminist Lit teacher would have applauded my taking care of my own needs and not relying on a man to do it for me. Ha!

He laughed loudly. "You're kidding. Did that happen today?"

"Yeah. Today was a weird day all around." Stupid Colin.

"Weird how?" He sounded so concerned. It was cute.

"Uh, I kind of got pulled into my friend's love lives, or ex love lives."

"Did that Jared guy talk to you?" He sounded almost like he was going to crawl through the phone to keep Jared away from me. I would be totally okay with that.

I laughed lightly. "No. I haven't seen him since the incident. Rose's ex's brother found me in Starbucks and sat down to talk."

"Yeah? What did you talk about?" Was there an edge to his tone? Nah, I was reading too much into it.

"Rose and Brady, mostly. I told you that our drunken night, sorry about that by the way, led to her breaking up with her boyfriend, right?" Like he could forget that email.

"I think you mentioned it, but I kind of focused on other things in that email."

I groaned, mortified. "You would."

"Come on, can you blame me?" He sounded so cute and playful. Of course I couldn't blame him. I was the moron who apparently let my fingers do the talking when I drank too much.

"No, I suppose I can't. Anyway, while I was busy sending you the most embarrassing messages of my life, Rose called Brady because she was horny. He picked her up and I guess they had their fun but in the morning he lectured her about the perils of drinking on a school night." I just said the word horny to Edward Cullen. What was wrong with me? Oh, yeah, I was horny.

"After he had sex with her? Sounds like a great guy." Sarcasm flowed in his tone.

"Right? So Rose told him where to go and walked home."

"He let her walk home, hungover and angry? Who does that?" He sounded outraged now. I loved that he was even being protective of my friends.

"Well, he regrets it but Rose isn't the type to give second chances."

"I don't blame her. For what it's worth, I'm one hundred percent in favor of you drinking whenever you like, so long as you promise to send me an email or call me."

I giggled. I'd been worried about that email why? "I can do that, though do you really want me waking you up at one AM?"

"Do you even have to ask that? You can call me anytime you want." The words warmed me.

"Hmm, well now that I have your number, I'll just have to do that, won't I?" I dropped my voice a little and tried to sound sexy. I probably sounded like a chain smoker. I just sucked at this sexy stuff. I could write it, but I couldn't speak it.

"Please do." Okay, no problem!

"Well, you should get drunk and email me sometime. It's only fair." I needed stuff to make fun of him with, plus maybe he'd share some even dirtier thoughts. Who knew?

He laughed that sexy laugh again. "Haven't I shared enough with you sober?"

"Oh, no, all the hidden inhibitions come out when you're drunk."

"Is that what those were? Hidden inhibitions?"

I sighed. Damn it, I left myself wide open with that one. Hmm, wide open. Focus! "I have no idea what those were, honestly. Curiosity peeking through, maybe? I still can't believe I said that stuff."

"Please. It was a great email. I'm going to save it and one day I'll read it with you."

"That wouldn't be so bad." I might die of embarrassment, but his voice would be super sexy talking about cocks and anal and shower sex.

"I save all your emails, actually, not just the dirty ones."

"Really?" He did? I loved that. Of course I saved his, too, but that went without saying.

"Yes. And if I could figure out a way to save the WWF messages, I would do that as well."

I laughed but I would totally do it too. "I just bet you would."

"I just commit them all to memory instead. Maybe I should write them down as if they were an email…"

"Pervert," I told him, laughing. I loved it.

"You like me that way, though. Hell, it's all your fault that I'm like this. I was a relatively normal guy before you came along."

"I doubt that." There was nothing normal about him. He was incredible in every way.

"Huh?"

Crap, cover, getting dangerously close to bad territory. "I just mean I bet you were still dirty, you just kept those thoughts to yourself."

He chuckled. "Okay, so maybe I still had the thoughts, but they were less frequent and starred a variety of faceless women. Now they only star one woman and she has a very pretty face."

I choked out some garbled noise at the idea of that. How could I be the one girl he fantasized about? This was truly amazing.

"Are you alright, Bella?"

"Yes, just a little hot." A little hot, hah. I was burning up. My skin was flushed and I'd probably be sweating soon. I really needed to get a fan to turn on high speed for any and all Edward related conversations.

"You're extremely hot."

Gah! "That's not what I meant, but thank you."

"You're welcome."

What did I do now? We seemed to possibly be heading toward _WWF_ territory. Was I ready? Of course I was. Did I have the balls to do anything about it? Well, let's see.

"I'm actually flushed like I told you I get when I'm turned on." Shit, did I just say that? Yes, yes I did.

"Is that so?" His voice got huskier and I felt a tingle down below. Holy shit, here we go.

"Yeah. You know what you do to me." I sounded very pornoesque right now and I wasn't even trying. He clearly brought out the best in me.

"I know what you say I do to you, but I've never actually experienced it." Oh God. Did he want to? Should I ask?

"Do you want to?" Yeah, I asked. Maybe Rose was throwing her voice and using me like a ventriloquist dummy to say the right things. It made a lot more sense than it being me doing this.

"If you do." His reply came much too quickly for it to be as cool as it sounded. He was way better at this than me. I would try not to let that intimidate me.

I reached into my nightstand and put my car next to me on the bed. "Okay, I'm ready."

"Ready?" he asked. Ha! He actually squeaked that time.

I couldn't resist laughing. "Yes. I had to get out my toy." Go me. Bella Swan, sex goddess.

"Your little blue car is out?" His voice went down a little but was still higher than it had been. I couldn't stop grinning.

"Yes."

"Turn it on and hold it up to the phone. I want to hear it."

Holy shit, that was hot. I rubbed my thighs together and let out a squeak of my own as I brought one of the bullets to the mouthpiece and turned it on, letting it run a few seconds before turning it off and putting the phone back to my ear.

"That sounds like a very powerful toy, Bella."

"It is." I bet your cock is much more powerful, though. And your tongue is masterful. And your hands are…

"I'm going to put my phone on speaker, Bella. I'm all alone, I swear, but I need at least one hand free and I prefer to have both involved, if that's okay."

Yes, we were really doing this. I could manage. Maybe. Shit. I'd never done this before. I was going to try though.

"Uh, yeah. I'll go on speaker too, I guess."

"Is it okay? We don't have to do this if…"

Yes we do! "No, I want to! Alice and Rose are home but my door is locked and their rooms are on the other side of the living room thankfully." I'd called dibs, thank God.

"Okay, baby, put your phone on speaker then." He called me baby. Dear God, I might come without even using my toy.

"Alright, ready."

"Good. Now, Bella, the last _WWF_ message you sent me…" I groaned. "Not that, naughty girl."

"Thank God," I told him, grateful he was not going there.

"You're so damn cute, you know that?"

Not nearly as cute as you are. "I'm glad you think so."

"Oh, I very much do. Tell me, Bella, what are you wearing right now?"

That should have been a cliché question but coming from Edward Cullen's lips it was just the sexiest thing ever. "Uh, my gray nightshirt."

"You mean the one you sent me a picture of? The one you wore while lying on your bed thinking of me?"

"Yes, that one." And I'm lying on my bed thinking of you. This happens often though.

"Is that all you're wearing, Bella?"

God, his voice was making me so wet. "Yes, Edward. I took off my panties before you called." Call me Kreskin but I had a feeling I'd need to.

"Why'd you do that, Bella?" His voice was all rough and sexy and I wanted to throw him down and ride him hard.

"Because I knew there was a 99.9% chance that you'd turn me on and I'd get them all wet anyway. I thought I'd save a step." Well, that was out there now. I was doing pretty good. Thanks, ventriloquist Rose.

"I admire efficiency like that, Bella."

I giggled. "Thank you."

"You were awfully sure that this phone call would turn dirty, weren't you? 99.9% is about as high as it gets."

"I think I know you pretty well by now, Edward."

"Mmm, well I think I know you pretty well, Bella. Do you want me to show you how well I know you?" Uhh, yes.

"Yes, Edward," I replied, my voice all high pitched and shrieky, very unsexy. "What are you wearing?"

"A white t-shirt and black boxers. Would you like me to take them off?"

Naked Edward. Oh, my God. "Yes." I heard some rustling.

"All done, beautiful. Why don't you take off your t-shirt?"

Turnabout was fair play. I whipped it off and tossed it on the end of the bed. "Okay, it's off."

"Good. I can't have you dressed when we get into the shower." The shower! I couldn't stop the gasp that escaped my lips. "You like that, don't you, baby?"

"Yes. And I like it when you call me baby." More than like it. It might make me come without touching myself.

"Good, because I like calling you that. Want to get wet with me, baby?" Like that would be a problem. I already was.

"I already am wet, Edward."

"I just bet you are, Bella. I want to make you even wetter, so I'm turning on the shower, making sure it's nice and hot." I couldn't stop the moan at the image of a naked Edward turning on the shower and holding out a hand to me.

"I like hot."

"Me too, baby. We get inside and I guide you under the spray, watching as the water moves down your body. I want to taste you, Bella. Do you want me to?"

God, yes. "Yes, Edward." Somehow I managed to get the words out even though breathing was tough right about now.

"Are you using your toy yet, Bella?"

Toy? Who needed a toy? "No. I was waiting."

"Don't wait, sweetheart. You can come more than once, can't you?"

He wanted me to come more than once? "Yeah, I can."

"I knew you could, Bella. A sexy, naughty girl like you. Tell me about your toy. What are you doing right now?"

"I'm, uh, sliding the first bullet inside me." Popped right in, too. Plenty of lubrication from his words and his super sexy voice.

"Yeah? Are you nice and wet, Bella? Is it going in easily?'

"Yes."

"And what about the other one, Bella? Where does that go?"

He was so sexy and commanding sounding when he asked questions. I was going to die. "On my clit."

"Fuck, baby, that's so hot. I want to watch you use that. Will you use it for me when I visit?"

"Mmm, okay." I'd do anything he wanted and he probably knew that now.

"Turn your toy on now, Bella."

Here we go. Completely new territory. I closed my eyes and turned the wheels, moaning as the familiar buzz shot through me.

"That's so sexy, Bella. Now imagine me kissing you and moving my hands down your body, along with the water, tracing your curves and coming to rest on your ass, squeezing it. Do you like that?"

I could see it and God how I wanted it. "Oh, yeah."

"Then I'd move my hand between your legs and feel that wet pussy for myself. Do you want my fingers to stroke your clit and then slide inside you, Bella?"

His fingers on me, touching me, and sliding inside me. "Fuck. Yes."

"I slide my middle finger inside you. You're so wet and tight, Bella. I move it in and out slowly as I look into those beautiful brown eyes of yours. I add a second finger and start to move faster. Does that feel good, Bella?"

I was so close already that I couldn't answer him. I squeaked and moaned and sighed or something. So good.

"I kiss your neck and then bite you gently, sucking on your skin, marking you as mine. Do you want to be mine, Bella?"

Oh yeah. I was getting so wet that the inside bullet was trying to slide out of me. Thank God he couldn't see. But too bad he wasn't here. "Yes, Edward, all yours."

"I kiss my way down your delectable body, stopping when I get to your beautiful breasts. Your nipples are hard, aren't they, Bella? They want to be touched and kissed."

"Mmmm hmmm."

"I take your left nipple into my mouth and bite gently as I curl my fingers inside you."

"Fuck! Edward!" I lost it. The picture of those beautiful lips on my breast along with his fingers working me over and my toy all combined to drive me over the edge. I moaned and thrashed on the bed as my orgasm rocked through me. I'd never come this hard alone.

"Bella, that was so hot." He sounded almost reverent over the phone. I shut off my toy but left it since I'd probably need it again.

"Wow. I've never done that with anyone before, Edward. It was hot."

He laughed quietly. "Do you think you can come again with me inside you?"

I was definitely in favor of that. "Yes, but first, I want to try something." It was my turn to try to repay the favor. He'd taken the lead and I was thankful. But I was comfortable with him now and I should give him some pleasure too.

"What might that be?" He sounded intrigued.

I took a deep breath to calm my nerves. "You slide your fingers out of me and kiss me, hard. I run my hands over your chest, down your stomach and take your cock in my hand, moving it slowly up and down the length." I heard a squirting sound and had to suppress a laugh. The lotion was out!

"That feels so good, baby." Again with the baby. God, he was killing me.

"You're so hard, so sexy. I want to taste you. Do you want me to taste you?" I could do this. I'd just describe it like I was actually doing it. It wouldn't be too hard. Hard. Hehe No laughing, Bella. Don't ruin the mood.

"Fuck. Yes, baby, so badly." His voice was strained and I thought I might come again imagining him touching himself while I was talking to him.

"Mmm, good, Edward. I get down on my knees in front of you and run my tongue over the head of your cock. I lick the underside of your shaft and then wrap my lips around the head of your cock. Do you want me to suck your dick?" Rose would be applauding me right now if she could hear me. I used that to bolster my confidence.

"Yes, Bella. I want you to suck my dick."

"I move forward, taking your dick further into my mouth and stopping." Tease him a little and then let him take control.

"Don't stop, baby."

"I want you to do it, Edward. I want you to fuck my mouth."

"I want that, too, so bad." His voice was so rough and sexy and he was breathing hard now. That had been a win of a suggestion.

"You thrust into my mouth, sliding in and out as I suck on your big, hard cock. I reach down and squeeze your balls as you fuck my mouth. Do you like that, Edward?"

"Uh, huh, yeah. Bella, I need to be inside you."

God, yes. I'd suck his cock as long as I could but I'd have to have him have inside me the first time. "Then fuck me, Edward." I knew from experience that guys loved to hear that.

"I pull you to your feet and lift you off the ground, pressing you against the wall. The water is pouring down on us as you wrap your legs around my waist. I press my cock against you. Are you ready for me baby?"

"Yes," I moaned. Finally my shower sex. I wanted it so badly.

"Turn on your toy baby, all the way. I slam my cock inside you, thrusting hard and deep." I quickly cranked the wheels and started to fly. "Press that bullet against your clit, Bella, and come for me."

It wouldn't be long. "So close, Edward."

"Me too, baby. My cock is sliding in and out of you, so hard. Your breasts are bouncing, your ass is pressed against the tile and you're so wet and tight around me. You feel so fucking good, Bella. I want to come inside you. Can I?"

That did it. I shouted his name and came again, tightening on my bullet and holding the other one against my clit as the wave hit me. Jesus. That might have been stronger than the first one. I heard him moaning and groaning as he came too. I did it. My first phone sex!

I turned off my toy and panted for a minute.

"Are you okay?"

Silly question. I laughed. "More than. I'm not so nervous anymore."

He joined in. "Well, I thought it would be rude to start fucking you the instant we got on the phone."

"True, I imagine Miss Manners would have something to say about that."

"Why don't we write her and ask?"

I let out a very unladylike snort that should embarrass me but I was far too relaxed to be bothered. "That's one letter that I guarantee would not make the column, unless we sent it to _Penthouse_."

He laughed, sounding delighted. "You're incredible, Bella."

"I should hope so. I'm sorry that I was so quiet, I mean, I didn't know…"

He cut me off. "Bella, you were perfect. Every sound you made was better than I could imagine. And then when you took over like that…well, you nearly set me off then and there."

"Well, good then. I meant it when I said I'd never done that before." Only with you, Edward.

"Well, I'm honored that I could be your first."

"I'm glad, too. We've come a long way in two weeks."

"We have. And maybe we'll come even further in a couple more?" He sounded nervous for the first time.

"Well, I certainly hope so, if you're really planning to come up."

"Yeah, about that…" I gasped. Was he blowing me off already? Figured. Give up the milk for free, Bella.

"I told my brother about us planning to get together today and he doesn't want me to come alone."

"Oh." That made sense, especially since I knew who he really was. "Well, I understand if you don't want to come. I mean, you don't know me and of course…"

"Bella! Of course I want to come. I am coming! It's just my brother doesn't think I should come alone so he wants to tag along, if that's okay?"

Was that all? That was no big deal! It would make Rose's life. "Oh, sure. That'd be great."

"Good. And, well, I don't know what Rose and Alice or any of your other friends are doing but we were thinking that hanging around a deserted college town would probably be kinda boring, especially for you guys since you go to school there."

"What did you have in mind?" Where was he going with this? Did he want to take me somewhere?

"Well, Emmett, that's my brother, and I were thinking maybe we could rent a cabin at Mount Rainier for the week. It'd be quiet and private but there's lots to do there and you and I could have more privacy if you wanted it and…"

He sounded so nervous, I had to rescue him. "Edward, I just had two orgasms over the phone with you. I think saying I want some alone time with you is pretty redundant at this point." Silly boy. And don't think I didn't notice that you just said your brother's name. I can't believe you're Edward Cullen. I can't believe I wouldn't really care if you weren't him, either. I just want you. My Edward.

He laughed, sounding a little uncertain. "Well, yeah, but you haven't seen me yet and maybe you won't be attracted to me."

I snorted at the ridiculousness of that statement. Was there a straight female alive that didn't want him? That was not going to be a problem.

"Anyway, as Em said, it's safer and better for both of us if we have friends and family around. As protective as Rose and Alice are of you, I doubt that they'd want you to go anywhere alone with me yet."

I thought about that and it was a valid point. Granted, Ali didn't know yet but when she did, after she lost her shit, she'd probably remind me that going off with a strange guy wasn't too smart, even if he was Edward Cullen. Rose wouldn't warn me, she'd just tell me she was coming with me. "That's true. I'm not sure what we could get at Mt. Rainier and what stuff costs but…"

"Money isn't an issue," he interrupted. "It's all on me." I sputtered at that but he plowed on. "Bella, trust me. I've already found a potential place. Emmett, well, he's probably already made arrangements, which we can cancel if you don't like it."

I laughed. Gotta love a man with a plan. And if he wanted to pay, who was I to argue? He was the millionaire, after all. I'd find a way to contribute, maybe food or something. Still, I was insanely curious as to what they planned. "What is it, Edward?"

"It's a cabin with four bedrooms, a pool table, fireplace, hot tub. Quiet, private, right on the water so you can hear the river at night."

Hot tub. Hot tub sex. Pool table sex. Calm down, Bella, you just came twice. "It sounds great. I'm sure Rose will want to come and I'll have to see about Alice." Hopefully she'd be over the Jasper and Edward things by then.

"Is there something wrong with Alice?"

He was observant. I needed to watch myself. "There might be," I muttered. "Part of that long story I mentioned before. I promise I'll tell you all about it soon."

"Okay. The place sleeps ten people so if you have anyone else you want to bring, that's fine. There's a master bedroom…" He paused for a second and I waited patiently. "That I thought we could share, if you want, or I could bunk with Emmett and you girls could divide the other three rooms however you like."

You sweet boy, do you really think I don't want to sleep with you? I giggled. "How many times do I have to tell you? Yes, I'll share the master bedroom with you, Edward. I want as much alone time with you as I can get. I have to see if you can live up to your words, don't I?"

"Yeah, well, I can promise I'm better at action than words. Those are your forte." Maybe so, but I intend for my actions to be just as good.

"I don't know, you seemed pretty good with them tonight."

He laughed. "I'm even better with my hands and tongue, I assure you."

I moaned. Hands and tongue. "I look forward to that."

"I want you to know, Bella, that I don't expect anything from this trip. I mean, I know I want you and I hope you want me but reality is different than fantasy and if you just want to spend time together and get to know one another, that's great too. I mean, I want to know you."

I sighed. How perfect was he? Sexy and sweet. "Edward, you say the sweetest things. I do want to get to know you in every way. I want to know all about you and I want to know how you taste and feel. I hope we get a chance to do all of that, the reality and the fantasy, while you're here." Yes, I plan on having sex with you, a lot. And I want to talk to you and hold your hand and see your smile and curl up in front of a fire with you. Everything.

"Nine days may not be enough." Was he reading my mind?

"Well, if it's not, you'll just have to come back again, won't you?" I asked. Would I get more than one week with him? It seemed selfish to ask for more than that, but I was already shooting for the stars with my dreams. What was a little more?

"That sounds like a plan." A yawn slipped out and I glanced at the clock. It was getting late and I had to shower and get to bed. I didn't want to hang up though. "I guess I should let you get some sleep."

I sighed. "I don't want to stop talking to you."

He laughed. "I don't want to stop talking to you either but you're tired and you have class in the morning. We can talk tomorrow, if you want."

Just talk? Really? "Talk?"

"Amongst other things, maybe. We'll see what mood we're in. Same time tomorrow?" Tomorrow! He would be mine again.

"I'd like that. Thank you for tonight, Edward."

"It was my pleasure, Bella."

I had to correct him. "It was both of ours'."

"Good point. Talk to you tomorrow. Sweet dreams, baby." Baby, again. My heart couldn't take much more of that.

"Same to you, Edward. Goodnight."

I hung up and lay there for a few minutes, thinking about the call. Things were moving so fast my head was spinning, but I didn't want to get off this ride. When was he going to tell me who he was? When was I going to tell him I knew? Tomorrow? I don't know. I guess I'll wait and see. But I'll hear from him again tomorrow. The rest will come, when the time is right. And hopefully I'll come again tomorrow. I giggled and got up to head to the bathroom. The man was turning me into a sex maniac. I didn't mind, though. A cabin with lots of bedrooms and a hot tub…yeah, we could have some real fun there.

* * *


	23. Sex

I woke up feeling loose and limber and just so damn good. Funny what Edward Cullen and two orgasms can do for a girl. I smiled as I took my shower, unable to remove the image of the two of us screwing in it. I'd probably find a way to hurt myself but it would totally be worth it to finally get my shower sex.

I threw on some jeans and a sweatshirt and opened my door to go get some coffee and maybe a muffin or fruit.

"There you are!" What the fuck! I about jumped out of my skin as Rose motioned to me from her bedroom.

"Why are you scaring the shit out of me at eight in the morning?" I demanded, stomping into the kitchen to get my coffee.

"Um, hello, I've been up since seven and I kindly refrained from waking your ass up. I thought you might need some recovery time. Get your butt in here and talk to me." Recovery time. I felt my face flush as I walked over to join her.

"You did it! I knew you would!" She nearly yanked my free arm out of the socket as she pulled me into her room. For someone who'd been up for an hour, she hadn't bothered to get dressed or anything. She was in a skimpy pair of red shorts and a sleep shirt. I sat on the edge of her bed and she threw herself down next to me. "Bella, you phone slut, how was it?"

Phone slut? Well, I had technically put out on the first call. I was a phone slut. Why was I so proud of that fact? "It was…I don't know. Amazing? It's him, Rose; I knew it the instant I answered."

She grinned. "We already knew it was him."

"Yeah, but you know, there was always the possibility that it wasn't. I knew his voice right away, of course, and he even mentioned his brother several times."

Those lavender eyes bore into me like a laser. "What? Why'd he mention his brother?"

Hmmm, I could wait and make her sweat it but she'd likely just beat the truth out of me if I played with her. "Because Emmett wants to come up with him when he visits."

She let out a shriek and I winced. "Quiet! What about Alice?"

Rose rolled her eyes. "She was up and out at quarter til eight. I still have her phone, so she either went to class or went to impale herself on Jared's penis in order to drive the kid from her brain." The image of a penis sticking out of Alice's head filled my mind and I quickly shoved it out. Gross.

"Ugh, she better not go back to him."

"I know. She's an idiot if she does, but I can totally see her doing something destructive. Her phone was buzzing for hours. I had to shut the thing off in order to sleep. I think it's safe to say that Romeo's mom let him know she'd tracked down his girlfriend and invited her to prom."

Crap. "Did you read anything he sent?"

"Not really." I raised an eyebrow and she laughed. "I didn't open any, but you know how the screen illuminates when they first come in. I may have seen a few of them then."

Oh my God. "What did he say?"

"Oh, no you don't. You tell me about Emmett and then I'll tell you what the teenager had to say." I scowled but she totally had me. I had to know.

"Alright, so after…" I broke off and blushed while Rose snickered at me.

"After you slutted it up, which we will be talking about as well," she supplied.

"Bitch. Yeah, after that, he mentioned the whole coming to see me thing and I thought he was trying to get out of it and freaked out. Anyway, he said he's still coming…"

"Still coming? Hot damn, woman, what did you do to the boy?"

I smacked her knee. "Do you, or do you not want to hear about Emmett?"

She stopped laughing immediately and I smiled smugly. I win. "He said that his brother didn't really think it was a good idea that he come to meet a strange girl alone, so he wanted to come."

"Oh, I'll make him come," Rose purred. "So fucking hot."

"Now who's the slut?"

"We have already established that. Continue." She was grinning like she'd just won the lottery. The sex lottery maybe. That would be a fun lottery to play. Get three penises and win Emmett Cullen's cock. Ew. There were a lot of takers for that probably. Edward's would be the grand prize. My prize.

"Hello, Bella?" Rose snapped her fingers in front of my face and I blinked her back into focus.

"Sorry, sidetracked."

She laughed. "I know what by. But focus on the other brother for a minute. Did he say anything else?"

She was gonna love this. "He said that they were talking about how boring it would probably be around here with everybody gone for Spring Break and they came up with an idea."

"What idea? Are they flying us to Paris? Rome?"

I laughed. "Nothing quite so exotic. They want to rent a cabin at Mt. Rainier for the week. I guess it's pretty isolated, has four bedrooms, a hot tub, a pool table and a fire place."

Rose scrunched her lips. "Well, it's not exactly Paris but it sounds okay."

"It makes sense. He's a celebrity and it would be best to go someplace isolated. And are you telling me that you have a problem with Emmett Cullen and all those bedrooms?"

She laughed. "Hell no. I'm in. They do know I'm in, right?"

I snorted. "Yeah, I told him there was no way you'd want me to go alone either, so you were in. He said I could invite Alice too but…"

"Yeah, giant but. How in the hell are we going to tell her now?"

I shrugged. "It's not like I have a choice. Edward will be here in ten days. I can't just let her answer the door and say, 'Surprise! He's mine!' That would go over real well."

Rose shook her head. "Well, I've got your back whenever you decide to do it."

I nodded. "Thanks. I think I'll tell her after I've told him. If he decides that he hates me and he's not coming…"

"Then I'll march down to Hollywood and beat some sense into him before I fuck the sense out of his brother," she finished, her face mutinous. "I will not let that man ruin our vacation over something like you searching him out and beating the odds and finding him. It was meant to be."

I had to laugh at her fire. Nobody crossed Rose. "Okay, if you say so. Anyway, I figure I'll tell her after I tell him, because if he does react badly, despite your ass kicking threats, there's no reason to hurt her any worse, you know?"

Rose nodded slowly. "It makes sense, but I refuse to believe that's going to happen."

I bit my lip. "I'm glad you don't think so. I'm scared, Rose. I don't think I could handle losing him."

She took my hand. "If you're scared, don't tell him. He doesn't have to know that it was anything other than pure luck."

I shook my head. "No. I'm not going to lie to him. Somehow it would come out. I slipped a couple times on our call and it's only a matter of time before I say the wrong thing. Plus, Alice went looking for him too and no way she wouldn't end up telling her story if he came knocking at our door. She'd probably think that phone call was just someone fucking with her and she had the real Edward all along."

Rose sighed. "Good point. So, when are you telling him?"

"I don't know. Tonight maybe? By the weekend for sure. I'll just see how the next phone call goes and go from there."

"Next phone call, huh?" She grinned slyly. "So he obviously enjoyed himself, too."

I blushed and nodded. "Oh yeah."

"Details." I raised a brow at her and she waved a hand. "I'm not asking for a sexual play by play, I'm asking how it was talking to him."

I laughed. "Well I was a nervous wreck beforehand but the first few minutes in, I calmed down. We were flirting from early on and he talked about how he didn't bite and I babbled about being nervous and told him Alice used to be a biter." I waved my hands in embarrassment. "Then he asked if he could bite me and things changed."

Rose grinned. "I just bet they did. Nothing like a little love bite to get things going in the right direction."

I felt my body start to tingle at just the memory. "Yeah. Anyway, you'd have been so proud, because he left it hanging out there as to whether we would or wouldn't have phone sex and I told him I got my toy out and off we went. There were a few times that I was sure that I was your ventriloquist dummy and you were saying all the right things through me."

Rose laughed and patted her lap. "Hop right on and I'll pull your string!"

"Perv," I told her, laughing along with her.

"Seriously, Bella, that's awesome. You've always had it in you; he just brings it right out."

I shook my head. "It amazes me. Of all the guys in the world, I should be most scared of talking to him, but it's the easiest with him. You should have seen me with Colin yesterday. I was barely able to say two words that didn't sound bitchy or rude. With Edward, I can just say whatever I want and it seems to be okay."

She hugged me. "See! You're meant to be. He's got to know that, too. And I take it you're talking to him tonight based on what you said?"

I smiled. "Yeah, same time. I can't wait."

She grinned. "I'll be sure to play my stereo loudly tonight then."

I nudged her but laughed. "Maybe you should."

"It's all going to be great, Bella. I'm so excited! I need to shop for some new clothes to drive Emmett insane with want for me."

I chuckled. "I thought you were going to fuck him?"

She laughed. "Well, I will, but he doesn't need to know that right away. I'm not going to be one of his whores. He'll want me for as long as I want him to want me. That will require holding out a bit and making him crazy."

I shook my head. She would know. "Shop later. Tell me about what Jasper said now."

She grimaced. "Well, I know he apologized for his mom calling and he said he never meant to lie to her. She just assumed he was older and he went with it because he loves her." I stared and Rose nodded. "It's pretty sad, actually. It's easy to see that he really likes her. He wants a chance to talk to her and wants her to call him or email or whatever."

I cringed. "Seventeen, though."

"I know. It sounds horrible. If he was at least not a teen…"

"I know," I sighed. "Well, all we can do is give her back her phone and encourage her to talk to him."

"Yeah, we will."

I looked at her clock. "Shit, I have to go to class."

"Yeah, I should get around. See you tonight, before you have to work your night time phone sex gig." She laughed as I smacked her with her pillow. "1-900-SUX-COCK."

Holy shit. I was laughing so hard I couldn't talk. We both clutched at each other to keep from falling off the bed.

"You're so bad," I gasped when I could finally speak.

"Yeah, but you love me that way."

I couldn't deny it. "I do. I really have to get to class now."

She grinned. "Have a good one."

"You too."

I went out and fixed my hair and washed my face, then grabbed my bag and headed to class. Why couldn't it be eight tonight yet?

Xoxoxoxox

Chaucer was fucking boring. Why didn't I realize that before I took this class? I mean, I'd studied him in high school and thought these tales were kind of cool. Of course, then we hadn't had to dissect them to the point that Chaucer himself probably wouldn't know we were talking about his own story.

My phone buzzed in my pocket and it took everything I had in me not to yell in potential excitement. It could be him. I'd thought about texting him this morning but I didn't want to wake him when he was still adjusting to our time. I edged it carefully out of my pocket and kept it hidden under my desk as I slid the screen on.

Yes! It was him!

**Good morning, beautiful. I just had a rude awakening from a very good dream. Can you guess who I was dreaming about?**

Oh, Edward, I know it was me. How could it not be after the talk we just had?

_Hmm, well it better be me after last night._

My professor droned on and on while I waited for him to respond.

**Of course it was you. It's always you these days. How are you today, gorgeous?**

So much better now that you're distracting me. Fuck the Knight's Tale; you're my knight in shining armor.

_I'm good. I'm sitting in class bored out of my mind. I'd much rather be talking to you._

Of course the thought of talking to him got me excited and I shifted in my seat. This was dangerous. I didn't care though. I wanted to talk to him.

**Naughty girl, texting me from class! You'll have to be punished for that one.**

Gah! And now I was wetter. Thanks a lot, Edward. Oh, who was I kidding? I wasn't sorry.

**I'm heading to the gym. I'd much rather be talking to you as well.**

Hot, sweaty Edward at the gym. Fuck.

_Ah, the gym. Good, you better be in good shape so you can lift me up in the shower like you did last night._

I really needed for that to happen in real life. If it was the only sex I got with him, I would probably be okay with that. Well, no, I wouldn't. I was a greedy slut.

Edward was taking awhile to reply and I was getting antsy. But he was probably driving and I didn't want him to get into an accident. Patience, Bella. Ahh, there he was.

**You are an evil woman, baby. Making me hard before I go into the gym is not going help me get into shape and I'll drop you on your cute, soon-to-be-red ass.**

More spanking. Yes, please. And he was hard. At least I wasn't alone in being turned on in the wrong place at the wrong time.

_I would say I'm sorry, but we both know I'm not. Hard is exactly how I want you to be._

**Hard is exactly what I will be around you, probably 24/7. You'd better be ready.**

I whimpered at his words. 24/7? I could have him anytime I wanted? Maybe Rose and Emmett could go to Paris while we went to the cabin. That would be alright. I had to calm down. Too much of this and my teacher would know I wasn't hearing a word she was saying.

_Alright, I just whimpered in class. You got your revenge. Go get hard in another way._

I took a few notes while I waited for him to respond. Said notes may have had nothing to do with Chaucer and everything to do with me listing the various places we could have sex in the cabin, but at least they were notes, right?

**You just got me in trouble with my trainer. I hope you're happy. If I survive the workout I'll talk to you later.**

Oh, boy, an angry trainer. I didn't know anything about working out but that probably wouldn't be good.

_Oooh, poor baby! I'm sorry I got you in trouble. What can I do to make it up to you?_

No response, so I figured he was busy getting into shape. Fine, perfect shape that I could run my hands over and…

"Miss Swan, if you could please discuss the parallels between this tale and the Bible?" Great, I was thinking about sex and he was throwing the Bible in my face. Was this how I was to be struck down? Impure thoughts got you every time.

I sighed and launched into the story of Cain and Abel which seemed to please my professor. At least one of us was satisfied.

Xoxoxoxox

I got out of class and headed to the library. I'd made good headway on my paper yesterday but I wanted it done and out of my hair before the trip. Shortly after I sat down at the table I got a message.

**A full body massage would be nice for starters.**

_Put my hands all over you? I don't think that'd be a hardship. I promise you one while you're here, how's that?_

_I'm working on my paper so I won't have anything but you on my mind tonight. Talk to you later!_

That should be good for now. I shut off my phone and got to work.

Xoxoxox

Rose's and my plan to ambush Alice to get her to talk to Jasper was a failure. She'd come home at about seven, wearing sweat pants, which she would never do in public on a normal day, and held up a hand when we started, her eyes tearing up.

"Not today. I just can't." And then she'd gone into her room and shut the door. Rose and I agreed to let her have this day to wallow and then tomorrow we'd get on her. Besides, I had Edward to talk to. I'd scarfed down my chicken salad and hurried to my bedroom to get ready. Not that I had to do much. I was in nothing but a t-shirt again, just in case, but that was all the prep I had to do. There was something to say for online relationships. They were extremely low maintenance.

Right at eight, my phone rang. This time, I wasn't nervous, just anxious to talk to him. I didn't know if I was going to tell him tonight or not. I'd play it by ear.

"Prompt again, aren't we? I'm not going to turn into a pumpkin if you're a few minutes late." I couldn't help but laugh that he seemed to be as eager to talk to me as I was him.

"No, but I might."

I giggled at the image of Edward the pumpkin. "I know you said your trainer was on you but I didn't know you were that bad off. Should I call you Rolly Polly?"

"You do and I just might hang up on you." How much did I love making him laugh?

"Then you'd miss me." No way would he hang up on me.

"You're right, I would. How was your day, other than you getting turned on in the middle of class and all?"

He had to remind me and laugh at my discomfort in class. "I'm sure my professor thought I had to pee as I was wiggling around at my desk."

"Well, now when you're teaching, you'll know what to look for."

Oh my God, that better never happen in my classes. Yes, I was a hypocrite and proud of it. "Ew! My students better not be sending sexts during my classes."

"Are you kidding? Your male students will be paying strict attention. The girls will be watching to make sure you're not going Mary Kay Letourneau on their boyfriends."

That was just wrong. I felt my mouth gaping open at the very idea. "Edward! I would never sleep with a student!"

He laughed. "What if I was your student?"

Well, that was different. I could never be fired for doing student Edward. One look at him and the school board would know why I'd had to hit that. "Well, that's different. You're older than I am."

"You didn't answer my question. Or should I worry about you teaching part time at an old folk's home and picking off a different type of senior?"

So very wrong, but he was making me laugh. "Maybe you should, since you've got me slutting around with all my students."

"I was kidding, baby. You know I don't want you sleeping with any of your students, unless they're me." He sounded remorseful but I had to have some fun with him.

"Well, you keep that in mind before you start joking," I told him sternly.

"I certainly will, ma'm. Please excuse my rambunctiousness. My entire body hurts and I guess I'm acting up." Poor, aching boy! I wish I could make you better.

"Oh, my poor Edward. I would happily give you that body massage." I want my hands all over you.

He let out a groan that sounded mighty frustrated. "I would gladly take it, Bella. My trainer is evil."

So get rid of his ass. How dare he hurt you? I'll punch him myself. "Then you should fire him."

"Nah, I needed the workout after my time on the road and when I told him about you…"

What? He talked about me to his trainer? "You told your trainer about me?"

He laughed lightly. "Not about you, exactly, but about my trip. He thought he'd have more time to whip me into shape and now that he doesn't, well, he's going to work the hell out of me while he can."

I had to laugh with him. Even though I didn't want him hurting, I did want him with me. "Well, I can't be sorry that I'm taking you away for a week, but I can be sorry that he's going to work you so hard."

"I'm not remotely sorry either. I'd let him quadruple my workouts so long as I could see you after I got through it."

God, he made me melt each and every time. "You're so damn sweet, Edward."

"I haven't done much of anything for you yet. Wait until I can see you and touch you and make you smile."

"You already make me smile constantly, but I look forward to the rest of those." Very much forward to it.

"You do the same to me, Bella."

I sure hope so. If I make you feel half as good as you do me, we're golden. "I'm glad to hear it."

"Me too. So did you talk to your friends about Spring Break yet? I guess Emmett went ahead and made reservations, so we're good to go provided you're all good with that."

Did I? "Yeah, Rose is definitely coming with us. I'm not sure about Alice yet. She's in a mood right now and I need to talk to her but I haven't yet." That was going to be a fun conversation. 'Hey, I found Edward and we're going on a trip. Want to come and watch me lord it in your face? I promise I won't scream too loudly when we fuck.' Jeez.

"That's fine. If there's anybody else you want to invite, feel free."

Oh, sure. I'll invite Jess and we'll have to tie her to a chair to keep her from molesting you in your sleep. "No, I'd rather keep it small. We don't need distractions, do we?" I want you all to myself. Rose and maybe Ali are all the chaperones I need. Rose would be a very indulgent chaperone. 'Sure, Bella, go fuck Edward in the hot tub. Holler if you need a towel.'

"I would prefer it just to be a few of us, but I want you to be comfortable."

I laughed. "I can't imagine not being comfortable with you, Edward. It's funny, because I really suck at talking to guys usually but it's easy with you. I wonder why that is?" Maybe because you're it for me, improbable though that might be.

"I'm pretty good at talking to people, but I don't let them in the way that I do you."

"I love that. I want you to let me in." I hope you still will when I tell you everything.

"I could say the same to you."

I sighed at that. "I'm pretty close to doing so." And it will kill me if you walk away.

"If we, if this…" he stuttered a little which was adorable. "I would never cheat on you, Bella."

Oh you sweet, sweet man. "I know that, Edward. Sometimes it's just hard to silence that voice that says if I wasn't good enough for Tyler how could I be good enough for someone like you?" I know who you are. You could have anybody in the world. Why me?

"You just have to know that it's not something wrong with you. It's something wrong with him. He clearly knows what a good thing he lost or he wouldn't have pulled that shit with the flowers. You were too good for him, Bella, not the other way around."

He was too good for me, but I couldn't let him go. I laughed and tried to shake off the mood that had come over me. "Sorry, I didn't mean to be so maudlin. I guess I just wish we could rush through the next week and a half so that we can be together. It feels like if we can get through this week, we could maybe be real or something? Is that the right word?" If you're with me after you know, then I know you'll be with me through anything. I'll do whatever I have to in order to make us work.

"That sounds right to me. What we have already feels more real than what I had with my ex. I don't want to put the cart before the horse, Bella, but I really enjoy what we have so far and I want it to be real, if everything works out in person."

"I hope so, Edward." So badly.

"Alright, Bella, tell me your favorite thing to do on a rainy Saturday."

I laughed at his abrupt change in conversation. It was good though. I didn't want to focus on the potentially bad right now. "There's a subject change. We have lots of rainy Saturdays here. I like to curl up on the couch with a big bucket of popcorn and watch a movie."

"Perfect. What's your favorite movie?"

"I refuse to answer that." Like I could narrow it down to one?

"Why not?"

"Because I don't have one favorite. I have tons. Favorite musical of all time? _Grease_. Favorite classic? _Gone With the Wind._ Favorite comedy? _The Hangover._ Favorite John Hughes film? _The Breakfast Club,_ although I love almost all of them." The _Steele Trilogy,_ not that I'm going to share that one yet.

He laughed. "Okay, that's true. I don't think I could pick my favorite either, though I'm sad to not hear _PCU_ in your list of examples."

I giggled. "Favorite college druggie flick? _PCU._ Favorite high school druggie fic? _Dazed and Confused."_

Edward made some strangled sound on the other of the line. "I watched that in my hotel room last week!"

That was too cool. "Really? How great is that? It should be required viewing. One of the best movie soundtracks ever, too."

"You like classic rock?" He sounded so excited.

I laughed. "I like everything except for country, pretty much. Dad loved classic rock, so I grew up with _The Stones, The Beatles, Zeppelin, The Eagles,_ you name it."

"That was Mom's music, too. And we're of a like mind on country." That was good, if we rode together in the car to the cabin we'd likely agree on the music.

"Favorite TV show?" he asked, disrupting my reverie on riding in a car next to him.

" _Supernatural."_ That was easy.

"For the story or the guys?"

Both, my dear. Two hot brothers, battling real and inner demons? Yes and please. "Can't it be both?"

"Very good point."

I liked that we were sharing the little things. "What about you?"

" _Chuck."_ Did he say _Chuck?_ Really? How cute was it that Edward liked that show?

"Really? I like that show but I didn't expect you to. Is it Sarah?"

"I think it's more the nerdy guy makes good angle that sucks me in. I mean, a hot female secret agent is never a bad thing, but the fifteen year old dork in me loves the idea of getting a computer in your brain and having all those secret agent skills. Plus Casey's a badass."

"And Jeffster rocks." I loved those two.

"Well naturally. Jeffster is the best. Who wouldn't want them to sing at their wedding?"

I had to laugh at that. No thank you. "Me, for one. I love that you watch a show like that."

"Yeah, well, don't tell anyone. I have a rep you know."

"Oh, right. I'm sure everybody thinks you're too cool for _Chuck._ They probably all think _Glee_ is your favorite." I had to tease him a little and the thought of Edward watching _Glee_ amused the hell out of me.

He was laughing hard. "Ow, Bella, that hurts. _Glee?_ Is that the cool show all guys should be watching?"

I giggled. "I'm sorry, Edward. I don't want to cause you pain. I have no idea what the guys are watching. _CSI_ maybe?"

"I don't watch any of those shows. They're all the same to me."

God, me too. "I know! They all run together after awhile."

"Well, we seem to be of a like mind on TV, unless you're telling me you watch _Glee,_ which is fine but don't expect me to watch with you."

Oh no way, we weren't watching any TV. "I think we have better things to do than watch TV together."

"That we do."

But we couldn't do them now, not when he was hurting. "I suppose, though, with you hurting that there are some things we shouldn't do tonight."

"Well, we can try I suppose…"

No, I wasn't putting him through pain in order to get off. "No, Edward, you can't even laugh without it hurting you. This has been fun without that."

"I like getting to know more about you."

"Me too. Maybe we can do that tomorrow or something if you feel better." One day to get back to feeling better should be enough, right?

"I actually have a work thing tomorrow night. I don't think I'll be home until later." Oh, that sucked. "I'd much rather be with you though."

I sighed. "That's okay; I should probably do homework and stuff anyway. I guess I can go a night without you." I would hate it though. I was already so addicted to him.

"If I get home early enough, I'll call or at least text you, okay?"

"Sure, but don't sweat it. You have to do what you have to do." I tried to keep my tone upbeat. He didn't need to feel guilty about having a life.

"Yeah, but I'll miss you."

I loved that. "I'll miss you, too. We can talk on Thursday."

"I'll text you during the day tomorrow for sure."

I had to laugh at that. "Going to try to set me off in class again?"

"You're the one looking at your phone instead of paying attention to your professors. It's your own fault."

"My fault? You're the one who talked about punishing me!"

"Sure, blame me, baby. You were the one who told me to get hard." Yes, yes I did.

"That was for both our benefit, for the shower and other places."

"Other places?" His voice was an octave higher. So cute.

"Mmm hmm."

"Such as?"

I laughed, loving teasing him. "We're not supposed to be talking about this. You're sore."

"We don't have to do anything, but you can still tell me."

He was pleading and so cute. So I'd tell him. "Uh, well, I may have a fantasy about doing it against a wall or a door, you know, just kind of fast and rough and…" He made some choking sound. "Edward, are you okay?"

"Yeah, just, yeah. That's on the list."

I giggled. "Okay, I'm sorry. Maybe you should go soak in a bathtub or something." Edward naked in a tub. Gah.

"I don't really take baths, at least not alone."

I giggled. "Well, I'd happily take one with you but that's kind of impossible right now."

"We'll put that on the list too."

"Sounds good to me." Crap I was getting turned on at the thought of that.

"I think I'll take your advice on the tub for now, even though it's definitely not going to be as much fun without you."

I laughed. "A week and a half, Edward. We can spend as much time in the tub as you want."

"We'll be prunes, but I'm okay with that."

So was I. "You're incorrigible."

"So are you."

"One of the reasons we fit so well together, I guess."

"True. Goodnight, Bella. I'll message you tomorrow and talk to you Thursday if not sooner."

"Sounds good. Feel better and sweet dreams, Edward."

"Sweet dreams to you." We hung up and I stared at my phone for a minute before opening _WWF_. I hadn't checked it all day. Now that I had other avenues for talking to him, I forgot. But I didn't want to let go of the thing that had brought us together.

Maze for a triple word score? Damn my letters. Even if I had managed to make them sexy, except for zit. Nothing sexy about zits. My letters still sucked but I was able to play sex and double up the X for nineteen points. He was still kicking my ass though. I sighed and opened his message.

**How could you think that I wouldn't find you sexy, incredible and perfect over the phone? That's exactly what you were and I couldn't get enough of you. God help us when we're both in the same place at the same time. Maybe we should send them all to the cabin and stay at your place for the week.**

**It's a good thing punishment makes you tingly because you have it coming after setting my trainer on me today. Every part of me hurts, thankfully excluding a certain part that I'll very much need when I see you again. Though that hurts too, because as usual your words turn me on.**

**I'm looking forward to talking to you again tonight.**

**Your Edward**

I had to laugh as I'd had the same thought about sending the others away. Of course we were on the same wavelength.

_Well, you know, nerves got the better of me, but I managed to perform admirably if I do say so myself. Don't think I didn't notice that you made ME make the move, Mister. Maybe you're the one who needs the punishing!_

_You will very much need that certain part when you see me, so take very good care of it until you get to me. Then, that'll be my job. I promise I'll handle it even better than you do!_

_I'm going to go take a cold shower while I imagine you in that hot bath. Spring Break can't come soon enough._

_Love, Bella_

Yeah I signed it love again. It felt right. He felt right. Hopefully we'd be right together. We had to be.


	24. Coy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Into every life a little rain must fall!

Wednesday dragged, especially since I knew I wouldn't be talking to Edward later in the night. It would have given me something to look forward to, but no. Other than a quick good morning text, we hadn't really talked at all. I checked my phone for the hundredth time after I got out of class and nothing. I went home to see if Alice was around. It was time to talk to her about this Jasper situation.

Our place was quiet and I sighed as I threw my bag down on my bed. This day blew. I wanted it to be tomorrow so I could have my Edward again. Sulking about it wasn't going to do me any good so I opened my book and started studying.

The buzzing of my phone took me away from the boring world of Feminist Lit and into the much more exciting one of Edward Cullen and Bella Swan, electronic communicators extraordinaire. That was stupid. Hot sexters. Yeah, that was better.

**I just wanted to let you know that I miss you today.**

Same wavelength again, thankfully. I loved that he missed me.

_I miss you, too. Class was more comfortable but much more boring without you._

I'd rather have been wet and wiggly. God, I was turning into such a perv.

**No doubt about it! I just read your** _**WWF** _ **response and of course I got turned on yet again. I don't have much time before I have to head out either, so no relief for me.**

Damn it. Damn whatever was taking him away from me tonight.

_Poor baby! I'll have to take care of you tomorrow, then._

Please say we can have tomorrow, Edward. I need you.

**I'll very much hold you to that, Bella.**

Yes! I'd totally make it worth his while.

_Please do. I want to show you more of what I can do._

Now Rose was ghost typing for me. What had I just promised?

**You are trying to kill me, but please don't stop. I have to take off now but I'll talk to you tomorrow. I wish I could stay home and be with you tonight.**

So do I. Nine days, right? I could make it. Maybe. I'd just have to play alone tonight.

_I wish you could too, but you have work. I guess my toy and I will be driving solo tonight. Hehe. Sorry, couldn't resist! Talk to you tomorrow!_

Gave him a little something to think about while he was doing whatever he was doing. Premiere? Fancy charity dinner? Auction? What did I know?

**You'll pay for that, baby.**

Happily, Edward.

_Shall I bend over?_

I felt the grin stretching across my face as I waited for him to respond. I probably looked ridiculous and serial killery grinning by myself but I couldn't help it.

**Yes, naughty girl. You've got a big punishment coming for leaving me in this state when I have to go. Payback's hell, but I promise you'll like it. Bye baby.**

Gah. He killed me every time he mentioned punishment. When did I turn into an S&M weirdo? Maybe I should talk to somebody about my latent desire for spanking. Maybe I should just let Edward do it and see what it did to me. Yeah, I liked that idea a lot more.

_Promises, promises. I'm not going to stop being cheeky and right now my cheeks remain lily white and untouched. Do you want to touch them? We both know the answer to that. I look forward to my punishment and I promise to do everything I can to earn it thoroughly. Bye, Edward._

I waited for awhile but got no response, so he must be off to do his work thing. Too bad. Back to work, I guess. Tomorrow was so far away.

Xoxoxoxox

I finished my work and put my books aside. My phone had been quiet but I hadn't checked _WWF_ yet today so I should do that. Maybe he'd play while he was out.

Page? I'd like to page him. Calling Edward Cullen, there's an emergency in Bella Swan's vagina that needs your attention stat. Have your fingers, tongue and cock at the ready. I giggled to myself as I opened his message.

**I admit, I did make you make the first move, but I promise my motives were good! I honestly didn't want to push you and while I admit I hoped our first call would go just like it did, I didn't plan on it happening. For what it's worth, I enjoyed our second call just as much as our first. I liked getting to know you better, all the little things that make up the girl that has me so captivated.**

**I promise that I'm handling my part with very special care. I can't let anything bad befall it before it has a chance to make your acquaintance. We are both very much looking forward to being handled by you.**

**My bath was very lonely. I'm not taking another one until I can share it with you.**

**Love, your Edward**

Captivated? I captivated him? It should be the other way around and it amazed me that I had the effect on him that I did, the same one he had on me. How was it possible? Maybe Rose was right about the fate thing. Fate and a little knowledge and a lot of luck.

_I think it's sweet that you didn't want to push me and I honestly was nervous about the idea of phone sex but once we got to talking it wasn't scary anymore. Like I said, I'm comfortable sharing things with you, which surprises me more than I can say. I'm not sure how I've captivated you, but I assure you that you've done the same with me._

_Darn right, you better be careful with your part! My hands are ready and willing to make its acquaintance and I promise that I'm well moisturized, though obviously not as well as you. Don't think I didn't hear that lotion squirt the other night! I nearly laughed but that would have ruined the mood. I loved it though!_

_Okay, no baths without one another. That's fair enough. Do you know what kind of tub the cabin has? I'm wondering purely for packing purposes. I need to know if I need bath salts or…who am I kidding? I totally want to know if you can do me in the tub. Not the hot tub, that was already a given!_

_I'm getting all worked up and you're not around to play with so I'll end this here. Miss you!_

_Love, Your Bella_

I flipped back to the board and of course I had no fucking vowels! What was this game? The first one had been so perfect. He was totally going to beat me. I hated that. I played coy off the o in horse. It was kind of a cute word and it was a double letter score. Of course I got no fucking vowels again. Damn you game. Well, I'd deal with that when he responded.

Xoxoxoxox

"Look, Alice, we're just saying that maybe you should see what the poor guy has to say before you cut off all communication," Rose argued.

Alice glared at both of us as we ate pizza in the living room. None of us had felt like cooking today so pizza and beer it was.

"Why? What does any of it matter? He's seventeen. He can't talk that away. He's a child!"

I laughed. "Seventeen is hardly a child. You were drinking, smoking and screwing at seventeen."

She sniffed. "I was going through my wild youth period. Besides, it's different for girls. Boys are way less mature."

I bit back a comment about her maturity level right now. Best not to antagonize her.

"Yeah, maybe, but think about the benefits. He's totally trainable," Rose supplied. "He probably has little to no experience so you could teach him everything. Plus, seventeen-year-old recovery time. I bet it's fast."

"Gross! We are not talking about me having sex with a seventeen year old!" Alice took a swig from her beer.

"Well, technically you already had text sex with him so…"

"Don't remind me!" She tossed her napkin at Rose. "I'm trying to forget about that."

I sighed. "I get why you are, Alice, but the fact remains that you really liked him and he really likes you. At least see what he has to say."

"Why should I? It changes nothing. He's a kid. A potential losery kid whose mom has to call and try to get him a date."

I snorted. "Please. She could just be a clueless parent. We both know our parents had no clue what we were doing half the time."

She huffed. "Be that as it may, he's seventeen. Period. End of discussion."

Rose pulled Alice's phone off the table. "Then I guess we can delete all these."

"No!" Alice shrieked, grabbing the phone away from her. I had to laugh. Trust Rose to call her bluff.

"Well, then?" Rose asked.

"Fine!" She began paging through the messages, making little noises of disbelief.

Rose rolled her eyes at me. "Well?"

"Just what I thought. He lied because he didn't want to lose me. He loves me. Like he can know that! He's seventeen!"

"Hey, now, what's age got to do with that? Did you love him before you found out his age?" I asked.

Alice didn't answer. She was staring at the phone with wide eyes. "What?"

Rose leaned over to see what Alice was looking at. "Holy shit! Is that him?"

What in the hell was I missing? "What?"

"He's hot. I mean, he's young, you can tell, but he's good looking. Those eyes!" Rose said.

I couldn't deal with being the only one not to see and walked around behind them. He had shaggy blond hair that was a bit long, curling around his collar and damned if Rose wasn't right about the eyes. They were a sky blue color. They were staring into the camera like he was looking right at us. It was a bit disconcerting.

"His mom needs to get him a date? I don't think so." Girls had to be lining up for that guy.

Alice shook her head, coming out of her stupor. "That might not be him. It's probably some friend of his or some cowboy he took a picture of. He's a liar."

"A potentially hot liar," Rose replied.

"A potential hot lying seventeen year old piece of jailbait," Alice snapped.

"So how long until he's eighteen? If you're not interested, I could be." Rose dodged the fist Alice tried to smack her with. "I'm just saying. You two have a thing, obviously, and he's good looking. So he's a little young. Let him season for a year and then take him for a test drive."

Alice snorted. "And what do I do in the meantime? Sit around wait for him to age? He's not a fine wine."

"No, but he is fine," Rose quipped. "I'm just saying you don't have to turn total bitch and never speak to the guy again. You could try being his friend and then jump the hotness when it's legal for you to do so."

Alice shook her head. "I have to think about it. Maybe I'll talk to him and see how it goes, but I'm not promising anything. It really sucked finding out the way I did and I don't know that I can forgive him. He knew how old I was, or at least that I was legal to drink. Even if he never told me how old he was, he lied by omission."

I winced at that. I knew all too well what lying by omission was. I had to tell Edward soon. Time was hanging over me like a black cloud, blocking out the sun. I was just so afraid that he was going to walk away from me, it was hard not to take every moment I could with him before I told him what I'd done.

Alice stood. "I'm going to go to my room and think about it. I'll let you know what I decide to do." She looked at her phone and then palmed it.

Rose and I watched her go. "Do you think she's going to call him?" I asked her.

"You saw him. He's hot. She'll call, eventually. She might text him for now though." Rose shrugged and started flipping through the guide on the TV. "Hey, the _People's Choice Awards_ are tonight. Do you think that's what Edward had to do?"

That must be it! Oh, I could see him even if I couldn't talk to him tonight! "Check _E!_ They'll have a red carpet if…" I broke off when I saw that they did. "Yes! I can see him tonight. If he's there. I wonder…" I took out my phone and typed Edward Cullen _People's Choice_ and up it came. "He's nominated for favorite male movie star! He probably is there!" I was surprised at myself for not knowing that he was, but I'd been so caught up in us that I kind of forgot most of the time about his celebrity status.

Rose just grinned at me. "You look like you're about to pop with excitement. You've been talking to the guy for over two weeks now."

I laughed. "I know but this is the first time I'll really see him in his element since we met, so to speak." My God, would he be in a tux? A suit? Edward all dressed up was a sight to behold, though he was hot in anything.

Seacrest was yammering away about some stupid show that I couldn't care less about. "Come on," I muttered.

Rose handed me another piece of pizza. "Sit back and wait. Edward's A-list, they never arrive that early."

She had a point. We sat through several mind-numbing interviews and that chick that worked with Seacrest flashing her boobs around and flirting with every male she could see. She better step the fuck off of Edward when he came through.

"You look positively murderous," Rose told me, laughing.

"She's going to be all over Edward, I just know it," I muttered.

Rose shrugged. "Sure she will, she's a slutbag, but he won't have anything to do with her. How many times do you think she's hit on him already?"

She had a point. Edward had better taste than that. I went back to wishing everyone on the red carpet away so Edward could arrive.

"It looks like Edward Cullen's here!" Guiliana's excited voice pissed me off but I was anxiously looking for him and couldn't give her the time of day. The camera panned over to Edward stepping out of a limo and holy shit, he looked amazing. He was wearing a suit with no tie and sunglasses. Fuck, did he know what the sunglasses did to me? Was this my payback for not telling him what I knew?

"Hot as hell," Rose nodded with approval.

"God, yes." Edward turned and reached into the limo. I wondered if his publicist and her husband were with him again. A feminine hand gripped his and Jane Turner stepped out of the limo. My heart dropped.

"Oh, it looks like Edward's here with Jane Turner!" the whore reported breathlessly. "They co-starred in a movie years ago and she's recently single. Could old screen flames be reuniting?"

"Bella, calm down," Rose advised. "There's no reason to think that they're anything more than friends. She just got dumped by that Demetri guy. I highly doubt she's dating Edward."

"Edward, Jane, are you together?" someone in the crowd shouted. Yeah, are you? I didn't feel like I could breathe but I had to. This could all be nothing. He'd just told me that he'd never cheat on me. Of course, he said that if we got together. We weren't technically together now. We were…some undefined thing but, we were something. Something big, I thought. Something that required not going out with super gorgeous movie stars.

Edward didn't answer the question. He just waved and smiled and looped his arm through Jane's, holding her close as they made their way down the carpet. Each step felt like a knife stabbing me in the heart.

"Fuck," Rose muttered. "Listen, Bella, let's not assume anything. He said this was a work thing, so maybe that's all it is. Publicity."

The camera cut away and I couldn't see and I was dying. What was going on? Who were they talking to? Why weren't they talking to fucking E? Damn you, Seacrest, go find him! Rose flipped to the TV Guide channel and I nearly screamed at her but there he was. God, he was gorgeous. And Jane was holding on to him like a lifeline. Of course she was.

"Edward Cullen and Jane Turner! This is a surprise. Are you two here together?" Thank you for asking that, whoever the hell you are.

"Looks like it, doesn't it Nancy?" Jane asked, practically humping Edward where they stood. Whore.

"Yeah, we're old friends so we decided to come together," Edward answered. What did that mean? Were they or weren't they?

"Yep," Jane giggled.

"How are you both holding up? It must be hard having your exes move on so publicly."

"I think that…"

"We're doing just fine, can't you tell?" Jane interrupted him and blew him some kiss and I wanted to punch her in her perfect face.

"I was going to say that I'm doing quite well and so is Jane. We hope to have a good time tonight and we're excited to be part of the _People's Choice Awards_." They were off. I didn't know what to do. I felt sick.

"Bella," Rose said. "Look, you're not really together yet so maybe…"

"No maybe, Rose! He's out with Jane fucking Turner! How am I supposed to compete with that?"

"May I ask why the two of you are talking about Edward Cullen like he belongs to Bella?" a stony voice asked from behind us. Oh shit.

I turned and there was Alice, her arms crossed and her gray eyes looking stormy. "How much did you hear?"

"Enough to know you're freaking out about Edward being out on a date in a way I've never heard you freak out before. Not when he was with Irina. Why are you acting like he owes you anything?"

I exchanged a glance with Rose. "You're fucked," she muttered. Yeah, I well and truly was and there was no point to it apparently since Edward had found someone else so quickly.

"Well?" Alice asked.

I blew out a breath, wanting to turn around and stare at the TV for more signs of what was between him and Jane but knowing I couldn't avoid this anymore. "The night that you started talking to Jasper, I started talking to Edward."

Alice's eyes narrowed into angry slits. "So you did what I did, what you were making fun of me doing for weeks?"

"I wasn't making fun of you!" I told her hotly. "I just told you that you didn't have Edward."

"Because you did?" she asked acidly. "And how do you know you found the right Edward?" Shit. I knew this wasn't going to go well.

"Because I did," I told her. "My Edward was traveling the last two weeks, including stops in Paris and Berlin. My Edward is actually named Edward. He has an ex girlfriend who humiliated him publicly, he has a brother named Emmett, he's THE Edward." It all came out in a quick flow of words that I couldn't stop.

"He told you that he's Edward Cullen?" Sarcasm dripped in her tone.

I sighed. "No, not yet, but we've talked on the phone the last two nights and I know his voice. It's him." Rose was watching us warily and Alice was getting red. She was going to blow.

"You really found Edward Cullen? And you let me go on and on about my Edward knowing that I was a gigantic idiot who was talking to a child while you had the hot movie star all to yourself?" She was shouting now.

"Alice, I didn't…I tried to tell you that you didn't have Edward. I didn't know how to tell you that I did and in the beginning I wasn't even sure I had him."

"But you didn't bother to even tell me you were doing the same thing I was. How many opportunities did you have to let me know you were talking to someone too? Why in the hell didn't you?"

I didn't even know anymore. "I don't know. It's just, you were so excited and I didn't want to ruin that for you. There was every chance that I got it wrong and…"

"But you didn't. You, Perfect Bella, found Edward while I found a kid. And you two were just laughing at me the whole time weren't you?"

Rose sat up. "We weren't laughing, Alice." She broke off when Alice snorted. "Okay, we weren't laughing much. And we did try to tell you time and time again that you were talking to a kid. You didn't believe us, remember?"

"You said he was twelve," she hissed. "He wasn't twelve and I knew that."

"But deep down inside you knew that you didn't have Edward Cullen either. So what does it matter that Bella found him?" Rose asked.

"Of course you take her side," Alice muttered. "It matters because we're supposed to be friends. Best friends. And she's been talking to Edward Cullen for over two weeks and said nothing to me about it. Not only that, but she's let me go on and on about my own Edward who turned out to be a kid. Are you saying I shouldn't be pissed that I'm the last to know every fucking thing?"

"I'm not saying you don't have a right to be mad but we were just trying to spare your feelings," Rose told her.

Alice rolled her eyes. "Sell that to someone who might buy it. Bella had a billion chances to tell me and she chose not to."

"Alice, I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I didn't want to hurt you, despite what you might think. You were so excited. By the time I knew I had the right person for sure, you were all caught up in Jasper. And then you didn't care that he wasn't Edward. I was actually going to tell you on Monday night, before I spoke to Edward on the phone, but Jasper's mom called and…"

"And you got to witness even more humiliation. Banner day for you!" Alice yelled. "God, you two must have had a fine time laughing at my stupid ass. Jared, Jasper…I got all the losers while you had the biggest winner of them all on the line."

"Ali, we weren't laughing at you. Jesus, do you think I want to hurt you? Do you know how many times I wanted to tell you? I just didn't know how and God. I finally had someone that made me feel good, that made me feel like they cared about me and yes, I wanted to keep that to myself." Her glare lightened and I thought maybe I was getting through to her. "You know what I went through. For me to let anybody in was very hard and I just wanted to enjoy it for awhile. You get that, right?"

Alice looked between me and Rose and her face hardened again. "Rose knew."

Fuck. "Yeah, because I needed someone to talk to about it and I didn't want to talk to you because of your situation."

"Right. Exactly. I've only been your best friend for nearly as long as we've been alive." Her voice wasn't loud anymore, but it was sad and angry.

"Ali, I'm…"

"Save it." She held up a hand. "You stay here and spill your heart out to your new best friend. I'll go and see if I can find some more jailbait on the net." Her eyes cut to the TV screen and she smiled. "It looks like your new boyfriend is taking right up where the old left off."

I gasped at her words and turned back to the screen. There was Edward touching Jane's cheek and looking at her with love and tenderness. That look cut right through me. Rose took my hand and turned on Alice.

"Well, if you don't know why she came to me instead of you, you should know now. What kind of fucking friend are you, throwing her past in her face like that? She needs support, not petty jealousy."

"Fuck you, Rose; you just want to get on his brother's dick. Of course you're encouraging her. What would a celebrity want to do with any of us?"

Oh shit. Rose stood up and took a step toward Alice. "None worth their salt would want anything to do with you, you self-centered bitch. You didn't even notice that Bella's been up to something because you were too caught up in your own shit to notice the rest of us. Bella could have been fucking Edward on the couch and you probably wouldn't have noticed because it has nothing to do with you. Now take your narcissistic ass and get out of here before I knock some sense into you."

Alice whirled on her heel and hurried into her room, slamming the door. Rose sat back next to me. "Are you okay?"

I shook my head. "No. I fucked up with Alice. Edward's doing whatever he's doing with Jane and that's all fucked up too. I should have told him I knew who he was. Maybe he wouldn't be with her now."

"Or maybe he wouldn't talk to you ever again. You did what you thought was right," Rose told me.

"Yeah, but I was wrong." I broke off as Seacrest gushed over the possibility of Hollywood's new IT couple. Shot after shot of them holding hands and touching one another filled the screen. The look on his face killed me. I'd hoped he might look at me that way one day. "It doesn't matter anyway. It was all for nothing. Alice hates me and Edward's with Jane."

"Maybe it's nothing," Rose offered. "I admit, it looks bad but you can't know until you ask him."

"I don't need to ask him. I can't ask him until I tell him I know who he is anyway. He probably just wants to mess around with me, come here and fuck me and then go home to Jane. Alice is right. Why would one of us land a star?"

"Come on, Bella, you know better than that."

"Do I, Rose? I couldn't even keep a guy like Tyler. How could I hope to keep Edward Cullen?"

She frowned. "By being you, the Bella that he's gotten to know and care about."

"He knows and cares about Jane, too, apparently. I'm just an idiot who thought there was more where there was nothing."

"Come on, Bella, if he just wanted to get laid he could get anybody. There's something between you. I've seen it in your words."

"Words lie, Rose." I stood up and tried to smile. "I know all too well about that."

"Bella…"

I shook my head. "Not tonight, Rose. I'm going to go wallow for awhile. I think I've earned that much tonight."

"Just promise me you'll talk to him before you write him off completely. You know how the press blows shit out of proportion."

Yeah, I knew that very well. But I knew what I saw too. "Sure, Rose."

I walked away and closed my door before letting the tears flow. I didn't know if I was crying over Alice, Edward or my own stupidity. Probably all three. I buried my face in my pillow and let myself cry for far too long.

Everything was a fucking mess. Work thing? He was out on a work thing? It looked a lot like a date to me. Why I thought he'd sit at home waiting until he met me, until we figured out what this thing was between us, was beyond me. Even guys who committed to me didn't bother to sit at home when I wasn't around. No, they fucked their old girlfriends and knocked them up. Maybe Edward and Jane would have a perfect baby. Maybe I should be out and about like he was. If he could date, so could I.

I sat up and opened my drawer, where I'd thrown the balled up paper that Rose had given me. So much had happened since then. Did I want to do this? No, not really, but I didn't want to the only one not dating. Alice went out. Rose went out. Tyler went out. Edward apparently went out. Why shouldn't I?

Before I could talk myself out of it I dialed the number on the paper.

"Hello."

"Hey, Colin, it's Bella." Look how easily I could talk to him now. All it took was a broken heart. No big deal.

"Hi, Bella! You used my number."

"Yeah, well, you told me to call if I figured out what my thing was and I did."

"Oh? What was it?"

"A whole lot of nothing, apparently. So did you want to go out this weekend?"

"Uh, sure. Are you sure you want to? You sound kind of funny."

Sure, now he didn't want me either. "I do, it's just been a weird night. If you don't it's cool. I'll just…"

"I do, Bella. How about Saturday night? Dinner at Max's?" That fancy place downtown. Alright then.

"Sounds good."

"See you Saturday. I look forward to it."

"Me too." My words sounded hollow to my own ears but hopefully he was fooled. "I'll meet you there or…"

"I can pick you up. Text me your address."

"Okay. Night Colin."

"Good night, Bella." He hung up and I sat there trying to figure out what I'd just done. I had changed more than I thought possible since I met Edward. I refused to sit around and cry over a guy anymore. I could be like Rose and move on. Edward could fuck every starlet in town for all I cared. I'd just keep telling myself that until it was true.

* * *


	25. No Words At All

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Full on storming now! But storms do blow over, eventually...

I didn't sleep for shit. Every time I closed my eyes I saw Edward and Jane or Alice's angry face. Her words echoed in my head, telling me over and over that I couldn't keep a guy. It was so very true. First Tyler, then Edward. So stupid. I needed to go for nerdy guys that would worship the ground I walked on. Except I'd probably bore them too and some cyber girl would come along that got them and then I'd get cast aside again.

Because I'm a masochist, I surfed the web and found umpteen pictures of Edward and Jane from the red carpet. There were already fans that were starting websites dedicated to the two of them. Every single one had that picture of him touching her cheek. There were also pictures from inside including a hug and a kiss on the cheek, not to mention numerous smiles. They made me sick. There were breathless reports of the two of them being rumored to be at this party or that party. There were also reports that he'd been seen with Irina the day before. That figured! I slammed my computer shut because I didn't need to see or hear anymore. Stupid me for not keeping up with the gossip while I was talking to him. I'd believed I was enough. What a foolish dreamer I was.

I heard the front door close and saw it was time for class and I clearly wasn't going. Alice sure hadn't waited around for me either, had she? So much for the hope that she'd be in my bed waiting to make up this time. I knew this was going to take a lot longer for her to get over, if she did at all. We'd never spent more than a day mad at each other before. God, this sucked.

And what had I been thinking calling Colin? I didn't want to go out with him. I'd call him back later and tell him that I changed my mind or something. I'd be shitty company anyway.

My phone buzzed and because I was an idiot, I grabbed it. I had to see if it was him and what he'd say.

**Well good morning to you, Cheeky girl. Eight short days and I'll have my hands all over those cheeks of yours. You definitely know the answer to your question. You're earning your punishment very impressively.**

Oh, you already punished me, Edward. Seeing you with Jane was like being punched in the gut. Not quite the fun you promised but I'm used to being lied to by now.

I set my phone aside. If he thought he could flirt with me after being out with her he had another think coming. Shit, maybe he was lying in bed next to her and sneaking texts to me. Men sucked. I got up and brushed my teeth and glared at my bloodshot eyes. Fucking lovely.

My phone buzzed again and I ran over to it because I'm pathetic.

**You busy, beautiful? I was wondering if you might do me the honor of being my date on Saturday night? I was thinking we could watch a movie together over the phone. We could watch some other people get some swats like you'll be receiving soon.**

Really, Edward? Isn't your social calendar busy enough? Screw you. Two can play that game. What's good for you is good for me.

_Sorry, I already have a date on Saturday night. Guess you'll have to ask someone else._

See how you like it.

**Well, if you're busy with the girls or something, we could do it Friday maybe?**

Oh, right, because my date has to be with my girlfriends while yours are with gorgeous Hollywood stars. Shows what you really think of me, Edward.

_I said I had a date, not that I had plans with the girls. I'm certain that you're more than familiar with the concept of a date. Getting dressed up, going out for a night on the town with a beautiful woman, or handsome man. A date._

You're all too familiar with the concept, Edward. See last night for details. How dare he be all cute and ask me to watch a movie with him, something I'd love to do, while he was busy romancing Jane and God knew who else?

No response for a few minutes so maybe I'd pissed him off. Good. He deserved it. Then my phone rang and it was him. I stared at it, wondering if I should bother answering. I'd never know what he had to say unless I did it.

"Hello?" Good. I sounded cool and confident.

"Bella? It's Edward."

Like it could be anyone else? I laughed. "I know who you are." Now I really know, Edward Cullen.

"I'm confused," he said. Of course he was. He thought he could have his cake and eat it too, which was a dumb fucking analogy because who didn't eat cake if they had it? I needed a fucking cake, a big chocolate one. Maybe Rose would get me one.

"I'm not sure what's so confusing for you." One of your playthings not cooperating? Just call up another one. You've probably got dozens on speed dial.

"I thought we had…" he cut himself off and cursed quietly. "Look, Bella, I mean, I thought you and I were going to see what we could be together next week. I guess I just don't know why…why you're going out with somebody else."

Of course not. Why would I not sit at home and wait for him to give me a few crumbs between starlets? "Don't you, Edward?"

There was a long pause. "No, I don't. I'm confused, like I said."

Enough of the bullshit, he couldn't make me feel guilty for having a date when he'd just gotten back from one. "What's good for you is good for me," I told him.

"What do you mean by that?"

Truth time. Not quite how I hoped it'd go, but I couldn't keep quiet. I wasn't going to sit by and let him play me like Tyler did. "I mean, I know, Edward."

"Know what, Bella?"

Was he really so clueless? "I know who you are, Edward Cullen, and I know where you were last night and with whom."

There was another long pause. "Okay, so you know. I was getting ready to tell you and I was hoping you'd understand…"

Ha! "Understand? Of course, I get it, Edward. You're a big time movie star and you need a big time movie girlfriend. I provided a nice diversion while you were stuck with your bitch of an ex, but now that you're home, you've got to live up to the image. Kudos to you. I really don't care." Or I wouldn't, some day.

"No, Bella. I'm not sure when you figured it out but you have to know that everything between us was real. Jane isn't my girlfriend."

Haha no, huh? Does he always look at his non-girlfriends like they're his entire world? I snorted. "Really? You know, I kept telling myself that last night, when I saw you get out of that limo and hold her hand and then put your arm around her and hold her so tight. I could almost believe it. But then the cameras caught that intimate little moment the two of you had and I saw the look on your face, Edward. You can't tell me you don't love her." I closed my eyes and the image of the two of them assaulted me yet again. I needed to hold onto it though. I wasn't going to let him break me.

"Bella, it's not like that! Look, help me out a little here. I can't even wrap my head around all of this right now. When…how did you know?" He sounded almost frantic. The guy was an incredible actor. He'd get that Oscar one day soon.

Well, one thing was out, may as well let it all loose. He'll hate me and I'll hate him and we can both go on with our lives. God, why did this have to hurt so damn much? "Ah, why bother pretending? I should have told you long ago and driven you away then. Maybe if I had, I wouldn't hurt so fucking much."

"Bella…"

Just rip the Band-Aid off. "I always knew, Edward." I waited for his response. My stomach hurt and I felt like crying again, but I wasn't going to give him anymore tears.

"You always knew what? Who I was? How?"

Here we go. Get it done. "Remember the day we started talking?"

"Yes." He sounded weird, hesitant maybe. Not like my Edward. Not like he'd ever really been mine in the first place.

"The night before you were on Letterman and you told him you played _WWF_. Alice decided to find you. She picked some name that I knew couldn't be right and I decided to try to find you, too." And it all blew up in my face, from both sides. I should never have bothered.

"You're a stalker?"

A stalker? Fuck you, Edward Cullen. I thought I was a fan. I'm not hunting you down and scouring your trash for your damn breakfast leftovers. "I'm not camped outside your fucking house, Edward. I'm not a stalker. I knew a lot about you. I read your interviews. I just thought I'd try your favorite cartoon and number and it worked."

"Why? Why did you want to find me? What did you hope to gain from it? You what? Wanted me to fall for you? Laugh about me with your friends? Sell information to the press? What, Bella?" He was pissed now. I knew he would be. My anger left me and I hurt. I hurt a lot.

"I just wanted to know you." It had all seemed so simple at the time. I never knew how I'd feel about you. I was stupid. Big surprise.

His laugh was hard and bitter. "Well, I guess you got your wish."

"Yeah, I guess I did." And I found out that wishes were the things of fairy tales. I knew better than to give my heart to him, but I did and I was left with nothing.

"I hope I lived up to expectations."

You did at one time. Now you're living down to them. "You exceeded them, for awhile. Not anymore. Why I thought you'd be any different from Tyler is beyond me."

"So Tyler's actually real? What else that you told me was real, Bella? Anything?"

How dare he? Did he think I would make up that shit? Yeah, I wanted to look like a pathetic asshole to him. Well, mission accomplished. "I…no. You don't get to turn this around on me. What happened to 'I'd never cheat on you, Bella'?"

"I guess we're both liars."

His words cut me through me like a knife. I didn't think anything could hurt more than seeing him with Jane but having him confirm it was worse. A part of me, a deep down part, had hoped it was all nothing and that I was overreacting. God I was naïve.

"I guess so."

"There doesn't seem to be anymore to say. If you go to the press with any of this…" Oh, he really thought well of me, didn't he? So much for all his sweet words.

I laughed because what else could I do? "I have no intention of doing that."

"Good. Have fun on your date, Bella."

He didn't even care. Of course he didn't. "Have fun with Jane, Edward."

There was nothing else on the line so I disconnected the call and let the tears fall again. I'd been lying to myself when I said I wouldn't cry anymore. Right now it felt like I'd never stop. The temper that had gotten me through most of that call was gone and all I had left was a hollow feeling inside me.

I heard a door open and I prayed to God Rose was home. I flung open my door and she screamed in surprise. "Jesus, Bella! Did you have to…" she broke off when she saw my face and dropped her bag and ran to me. "What happened?"

I buried myself in her arms and sobbed against her shoulder. She held me tight and rubbed my back. "It'll be okay. I swear I'll make it okay."

That made me laugh. "It'll never be okay again." I raised my head and wiped at my eyes while she held onto my shoulders and stared at me.

"What happened, Bella? You didn't cry over him all night, did you?"

No, these were new tears. "Only part. These are new tears."

"Why?" She steered me into my bedroom and we both sat on the end of my bed.

I stared at her pretty purple shirt that I'd snotted all over. "I got your shirt dirty. I'm sorry."

She flicked a wrist. "Bella, that's not important. What is important is that you look like your best friend died, which I know is not true because here I am. Tell me what happened?" She glanced at my computer, which was lying on the side of my bed. "You didn't look up Edward and Jane did you?"

I eyed her guiltily and she shook her head. "Damn it, Bella. You know how those sites misconstrue shit. Why would you do that to yourself?"

I sniffled. Too bad they got it 100% right for once. "They didn't misconstrue."

"How do you know?" Her eyes widened. "Did you talk to him?"

I nodded slowly. "Yeah."

"Shit. What did you say? What did he say?"

She was going to be pissed. "I told him, Rose."

She let out a string of curse words, each more impressive than the last. "So, instead of telling him at some good time, like right after you made him come so hard that he saw stars, you told him when you were upset about him and some girl? No wonder you're crying."

I started crying harder and she sighed. "Bella, calm down. I can't help if you don't tell me what went down."

I shook my head. "You can't help at all, Rose. It's done."

"We'll see about that. Tell me what happened from start to finish."

Right. "He texted me something cute in response to my last text yesterday, just more flirty stuff. I didn't answer, because I knew if I did, it wouldn't be something nice." I grabbed some Kleenex and started dabbing at my eyes.

Rose snorted. "No shit. Then?"

I felt my blood heat at the memory. That was good. I'd much rather be mad. "Then he sent me another text asking me if we could have a movie date on Saturday night, you know, watch together over the phone."

She nodded. "That sounds like something right up your alley."

"Of course it is! But it pissed me off! He asked me out when Jane was probably lying next to him in bed!"

Rose raised an eyebrow. "Jumping to conclusions much, Bella?"

"Rose! You're supposed to be on my side!"

She took my hand. "I am always fully on your side, Bella. You know that. Sometimes being on your side means making you see that you might not have handled things the right way, but loving you anyway."

Damn her and her logic. "Okay. Well, then yes, I jumped to conclusions and I got mad and I answered him."

She sighed. "What did you say?"

"I told him that I already had a date on Saturday night."

She laughed. "Well played. Making him jealous with a good lie. I like it."

I bit my lip. "It's not a lie. I really do have a date on Saturday night."

Rose stared at me. "Damn it, Bella, what did you do?"

Crap. "I kind of, sort of called Colin last night and told him I was free."

"Damn it, I knew I shouldn't have left you alone to wallow! Why in the hell did you do that?" She glared at me.

I threw up my hands. "I don't know! I asked myself that after. I figured it was something you would do."

She sighed. "Bella, it's something I would do if I didn't give a shit about the guy who fucked me over, or to throw it in his face. You could hardly throw it in Edward's face when he lives in California."

"You went out the night after you found out about Royce." It was all I had.

"Damn right I did. But I wasn't in love with Royce."

"I'm not in…" I broke off and she nodded.

"Exactly. You are in love with him, or damn close to it. And he feels the same way." No, no he doesn't. "Don't shake your head at me. I know what I've seen and what I've read from him. That guy is hooked on you, Jane or no Jane."

Maybe he was. Before. "He's not now."

She shook her head. "Tell me the rest of it."

"After we established that I did indeed have a date on Saturday, he called me."

"Of course he did," she replied. "Because he cares."

"Sure. Whatever you say. Anyway, he said he thought we had some kind of understanding, which is ridiculous since he was the one who went out first." Rose just stared at me so I plowed on. "He kept saying he was confused so I enlightened him."

Rose groaned. "And you did that by?"

"By telling him that I knew who he was and what he'd done last night."

She shook her head. "Of course you did. What did he say to that?"

"He tried to explain himself, said some crap about how he hoped I'd understand and I told him I understood that he needed a famous girlfriend and I was just some girl on the side that he could fuck and forget."

"Oh, shit, did you really say that?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I think I was a little less crass than that but the implication was there."

"What then?"

"He tried to tell me they were just friends and I told him that friends don't touch and look at one another the way he looked at Jane."

"Bella, you don't know what you saw."

I reached for my computer and flipped it open. The web page I'd been looking at last was up. "This! This is what I saw, Rose! Don't tell me that I misinterpreted it!"

She glanced at the screen and then closed it. "Context is everything, Bella. Don't they teach you all about subtext and hidden meanings in your lit classes?"

I laughed. "Don't throw my classes at me, Rose. I know what I saw."

"Alright." She held up her hands. "You think you know what you saw. What did he say?"

"He said it wasn't like that and then asked me how I even knew."

Rose's lips pursed. "And you told him."

"Yes. I told him I always knew, that I looked for him after his appearance on Letterman and that I found him."

"What did he say?" she asked, sounding resigned now. She finally got the hopelessness of the situation.

"He called me a stalker."

Her eyes narrowed. "He did what?"

"Exactly!" I shouted. "He called me a fucking stalker and I told him I wasn't sitting outside his house and monitoring his every movement."

"Good for you."

"Yeah. Then he asked what my purpose had been and I told him I just wanted to know him. He laughed and asked me if I was going to go to the press."

The glare became more pronounced. "Does he know you at all? How could he think that?"

I felt the tears start again. "He also thought I made up Tyler."

"HE WHAT?" She shouted. "Who would do that?"

"The stalkery loser he imagines me to be, I guess."

"You are not a loser. And you're not a stalker. I'm going to rip him a fucking new one. How dare he?"

I took cold comfort from the fact that she was now completely on my side. "It gets worse. After the Tyler thing came up, I told him that he wasn't allowed to turn me into the bad guy. He was the one who said he'd never cheat on me and look what he did." She waited expectantly. "He said it looked like we were both liars then."

"Oh, Bella." She wrapped her arms around me again. "I'm so sorry. You didn't deserve that. I like to think he was just lashing out but…"

"No, Rose. He meant it. I could tell. He hates me now and he's glad he's got Jane and Irina and whoever else. He told me to have fun on my date and I told him to have fun with Jane and that was that."

She held me while I cried some more. God, when had I turned into such a fucking baby? I pulled back and wiped at my tears. "Sorry about Spring Break."

She rolled her eyes. "Don't even worry about that. We'll figure it out."

I got up. "I need to wash my face."

She laughed. "Yeah, you do. Then you need to get some real sleep I think."

"I doubt I can." I went into my bathroom and washed my face and brushed my hair. I came back out and saw Rose holding my phone. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing." Her voice was entirely too smooth.

"Rose, don't. Don't call him. Don't make this worse."

"Could it get any worse, Bella?"

I doubted that but still. "Please? Leave it alone. For me. I don't want or need you calling and yelling at him. If I'd have told him in the beginning that I knew who he was, we'd never have gotten to this point."

"He hurt you," she replied, her voice steely.

"Yes. And I lied to him, he was right about that. It's over, Rose. It was three weeks of my life, not years like with Tyler. I'll get over it."

"With Colin?" she asked. "Are you really going to go out with him?"

I flopped down on my bed. "I don't know. I woke up thinking I was going to cancel but why shouldn't I go? It's not like I have anything better to do. It's all screwed up, Rose. Edward, Alice…I never should have tried to find him."

She shook her head. "No, Bella. Even if this is really the end, it was worth it. He was good for you." I scowled at that. "He brought you out of your shell. The old Bella spent months avoiding guys and being anti-social after Tyler. Your response this time, rash though it may be, shows that you're not going to let a man bring you down. I don't really know that you're ready for this, but I am proud that you're not going to wallow."

The end. Those words echoed in my mind and I fought the tears that threatened again. I knew it was over. "It's just one night, right? I don't have to marry the guy. I just have to get through one meal."

Rose laughed. "You sound like you're going on a trip to the dentist."

It felt like one. "Same thing."

She snorted. "No, it's not, which shows that you aren't ready. Blow Colin off and we'll go out, just the two of us."

"And I can watch you get hit on by dozens of men? That's supposed to make me feel better how?"

She grinned. "Only a half dozen, tops." I smacked her and tried to smile. It probably didn't work but I knew she was trying. "We could go get dinner and then watch a movie or something."

I shook my head, remembering that if things were different I would have been watching one with Edward instead. "No. I'm going to go. Who knows, maybe I'll like him more than Edward." That sounded ridiculous coming out of my own mouth and Rose snorted.

"Right. Well, I'm not going to stop you. If you want to go, go. But I don't think this thing with Edward is over."

I stared at her. "Were you not listening to the entire story?"

"Yeah, I was. Your temper was high and he got mad when you attacked him and revealed what you knew in the worst possible way. Maybe after you two have a little time to calm down, you can talk and explain yourself better and give him a chance to tell you what the deal with Jane was."

Ha. I already knew. "Sure, Rose."

She smiled and stood. "Come on. I'm starving and you need to get the hell out for awhile. Then you can take a nap or something. You have bags under your eyes."

"Thanks," I muttered.

"Hey, have I ever let you down?"

I shook my head. "No, of course not."

"Then trust me now. Everything's going to work out. You get ready."

"Rose, you can't possibly believe that."

Her smile turned almost wicked. "I do. Now get ready."

"Don't…whatever you're thinking, don't."

"No worries, Bella. It's just breakfast." She looked at her watch. "Or lunch I guess. Let's go."

I grabbed some clothes and eyed her. "Just lunch?"

"Lunch and a nap, just like I said. Get a move on."

I didn't trust her, but what could I do? I took my phone just in case she had any ideas of calling Edward. She laughed. "Go."

"I'm going." Not anywhere good, but I was going. Better than staying home and crying myself to death.


	26. A Rose With Thorns

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A different point of view...

RPOV

Bella was in the shower. Now was my chance. If she thought I was going to sit by and let Edward Cullen waltz out of her life after making her cry like that, she didn't know me very well. Asshole. He'd be lucky if I let him get away with a verbal lashing. Now that our Spring Break trip was more than likely off, I could take the week and go down to Hollywood and stick my foot up his ass. That would be very satisfying. How dare he question her that way?

I dialed the number I'd stolen from her phone. He better damn well answer. Coward. A breathless hello greeted me, like he'd had to run to the phone to catch it on time. Good. He'd be more than breathless when I was done with him. He'd be scared shitless.

"You listen and you listen well, Edward Cullen. When I get my hands on you, I'm going to turn your pretty face into pulp! How dare you make her cry? Do you have any idea what kind of person Bella is at all?"

"Wait, I'm…"

"Don't you interrupt me, asshole. You broke my best friend's heart. She truly cared about you. YOU, not Edward Cullen. So what if she set out to find you? What are the odds of her actually doing it? She found you and she liked you and you made her smile. I know she warned you about me and I'm telling you right now that you should be very afraid. I will make it my mission in life to make yours miserable if you don't apologize to her in the next hour. You don't want to cross me, Cullen. I have a scalpel and a temper." And I was ready and willing to use them on him. Carving up that pretty face would be a travesty, but so would letting him walk away from Bella with a smile and a wave. Nobody hurt my friend and got away with it, not even a celebrity.

"This isn't Edward. This is his brother, Emmett." Holy shit, I'd just unloaded on my dream guy. Well, his brother was a prick. He needed to know that. "I took his phone away because he was going to smash it against his wall just like he did his lamp and God knows what else. What in the hell did your friend do to him?"

Oh, right, like it was all Bella's fault? Typical man response. Fuck you, Emmett Cullen. "What did SHE do? What did HE do? He took that whore to the awards show and let her hang all over him all night long, then sexy texts Bella and asks her do a movie with him on Saturday night! What kind of two-timing asshole is he?" Somewhere deep inside I knew I could be ruining my chances with him, but I didn't care. Bella was more important than a fuck any day. Even if Emmett would be a very good one, like I suspected he would be.

"Listen here, Shouty Girl, Jane is not a whore and my brother didn't take her on a date. She's one of his best friends and she just had her heart broken. She needed someone to accompany her to the show where her ex was going to be with the newest model. Edward was being the good guy he always is and your girl attacked him for it and then comes loose with something even worse! How could she do that to him?"

Damn it. I'd been right all along. Bella had jumped to conclusions and made the situation a billion times worse by telling him the truth. "Just friends?"

"Yes."

"Then why did he tell her they weren't?" Why did this have to be so complicated? These two belonged together, any fool could see it. Who cared how they met?

"When did he tell her? Before or after she announced that she knew who he was all along?" Emmett's sexy voice went through me and I had to focus. He was not what was important right now.

"After, I think." I should never have left her alone. I could have cut this shit off. I should have confiscated her phone.

"There you go, then. He was pissed at her and he lied."

Of course. Because that helped matters. What was wrong with these two? "Well…he's still an asshole for making her cry."

His boisterous laugh filled the line. "Maybe. But you can't call him that. I will, if it's warranted. Tell me, does your girl really like him?"

Protective, wasn't he? Well that made two of us. "Yes. She told me several times that even if he wasn't Edward Cullen, she liked whoever he was."

"And did she put on a show for him? Did she act like somebody she's not and lie about shit that she thought he'd like?"

As if my girl needed to lie about how awesome she was? "Of course not! How dare you think that…"

"I don't know her. I don't know you. All I know is that my brother is very upset and your friend is the reason why. I get that you're protective of your friend. Surely you get why I'm protective of him. He's…" Oh no, you jerk. You don't get to interrupt me and then not spill. I only let you do that because you surprised me and because it's kind of sexy.

"He's what? And my name is Rose, by the way." It was time he knew who he was talking to.

"Nice to meet you, Rose. I wish it were under other circumstances."

"Save your charm for someone stupid enough to fall for it." I know your game, Cullen. I can play it better than you can when the time is right. Bella is all that matters right now. "He's what?"

"He's a bit lonely. He doesn't think I know it, but I do. His life is very structured and monotonous and careful. He doesn't go out and party because he doesn't want rumors and pictures everywhere. He doesn't hook up with random girls for the same reason. He let your friend in because she didn't know who he was. That was very freeing for him. He got to just be him and not worry about living up to an image."

That had to be hard and I got it, I truly did. But Bella had been through a shitload herself and she was finally coming out of her shell. God only knew what this setback would do to her. She was already acting out by making dates with guys she had no interest in. What could be next?

"She's lonely too, Emmett. She had her heart broken in the worst way last fall and she's been closed off ever since. She finally let him in and then he…it just pisses me off to see her hurt again. And I don't know how to fix it."

He laughed. "I was just trying to figure out how to fix it for Edward as well. If your friend really likes him…"

Likes? Ha! "She does. I think this might be worse than the Tyler situation, because she was so closed off for so long."

"What in the hell is this about a date then? Edward was blathering on about her going out with someone else and moving on already. He thinks she didn't really care, that she was just getting her jollies by reeling in the celebrity."

Then Edward was a moron. Couldn't he read how much she cared for him? It was right there in every email and message. I'd only seen bits and pieces and I knew. "That's just stupid! Why would she do that? The date…it's this guy she doesn't even like. She made it without me knowing, because I wouldn't have let her do it. She did it last night after she saw him with Jane and the shit hit the fan."

"So she's not just bouncing from guy to guy?"

That would be the day. "No! She may not even go. She's wavering on it already. The guy is good looking but a total snooze." I should know, I spent an evening with him and his prick of a brother. If you wanted a good nap, Colin was the perfect company.

"That's good for our purposes."

What did that mean? "What purpose is that?"

"Look, if these two are going to get together, you and I clearly have to get their heads out of their asses. Your girl likes my brother."

That's the understatement of the century, Emmett. "Likes? She's in love with him, even if she won't admit it."

"Exactly! And he loves her, even though he thinks he can't love her because they haven't met. I explained to him that's just how us Cullen's work but he wasn't having it."

That's how they work? What was he on about? "What are you babbling about?"

"Nothing. Just trust me when I say she's the one."

I glanced at the clock. Bella would be out any minute. "Okay. So what do we do? I don't have long. I'm taking Bella to lunch to try to get her mind off things." Like lunch would mend a broken heart.

"We don't do anything. I'll take care of it. He'll be in contact with her by the end of this week, I guarantee it."

Oh sure, cut me right out, Emmett. I can help too, you know. "How? How are you going to make him contact her?"

"Just trust me."

Oh yeah, I'd get right on that. The guy with the criminal record and the reputation of being a complete manwhore. Yeah, I wanted him, but I sure as shit didn't trust him. "Why should I do that?"

"Because I'm the only person who can help you."

Damn him. I'd get it out of him if I had more time. "Fine. But if you haven't done something by Sunday night, I'm going to make my own plans which include me coming down to LA and kicking the shit out of your brother."

He laughed loudly. "I'd pay to watch that."

"I have no doubt you would."

"I'm looking forward to meeting you, Rose. I think we'll have a good time together."

Oh, it'll be better than good, Emmett. Once you learn just who's in charge. I'll school you after I get done with your brother. "I know all about your good times, Emmett Cullen. I'm not one of your bimbos. You just worry about your brother, not me."

"I can multi-task. See you soon, Rose."

"What do you mean, see me soon?" Damn it, he was gone and I couldn't call his stupid ass back right now. I'd just have to wait and see what he had up his sleeve. If it wasn't to my satisfaction, I'd step in and make sure these two talked. All it would take was one real talk, without the anger. They had to see what they felt for one another. Emmett Cullen better come through, or I'd kick his fine ass too.

* * *


	27. Avoiding Words

Rose was being weird. I watched her fidget with her fork as we waited for our lunch orders to be served. "What is going on with you?"

She finally looked at me. "What do you mean?"

"You're nervous or something. What on earth could you possibly have to be nervous about?"

Guileless violet eyes met mine. "I don't know. You tell me."

"You're being weird."

"I am not. I'm just thinking everything over."

I sighed. "You and me both." My shower had sucked. I'd remembered Edward and I talking about having sex in there and I'd cried some more. It'd taken me forever to get ready but Rose hadn't uttered a word about it. I guess she was coddling me because I had a broken heart yet again.

She sighed. "I just think that maybe you jumped to all the wrong conclusions and that he isn't really with Jane. They did a movie together once, right? Maybe they're friends."

Why was she trying to give me hope where there was none? "Yes, they did but that was years and years ago. He's never mentioned her that I've seen."

Rose shrugged. "So, do you mention people you went to high school with other than Alice? Yet you're still friendly with them when you go home, right?"

"Weak, Rose, very weak."

"I'm just saying you can't possibly know about his friendships. Did he ever mention his friends to you?"

Had he? I didn't think so. "No. He talked about his family quite a bit and his co-workers." I laughed bitterly. "Co-workers like Jane, I guess. And Irina of course."

Our food came and Rose dumped some ketchup on her plate for her fries. I glanced at my own cheeseburger and fries with little interest. She glared at me and I started eating. I didn't need to be lectured about food as well.

"Well, maybe there's a reason he didn't."

"Yes, because he's sleeping with them," I replied bitterly. "Why ruin our little fantasy life with a dose of his reality? I was just some girl he was having a little fun with and maybe he would have come up and fucked around with me but that's all I would have gotten. I should really be grateful that we ended when we did."

"I don't believe that," Rose replied vehemently. "And I think you're trying awfully hard to convince yourself of that but do you really believe it?"

Yes. No. I don't know. It was easier to believe that than to believe it was all real and that I'd thrown it away with my temper. "I don't know what I believe. It doesn't matter anyway."

She reached across the table and touched my hand. "Of course it matters."

Too much. "Rose, I really don't want to talk about this anymore. I thought we were going out to get my mind off him." I narrowed my eyes at her. "And you were pissed off at him before I went in to take my shower. Why aren't you now?"

Her eyes widened. "I am pissed off at him. I'm ready to go down to California and kick his ass the instant you give me permission." I scowled but said nothing and she smiled. "See, you don't want me to because you love him and don't want him hurt."

Love, ha. I was done with love. "I don't want you to get arrested for assaulting a celebrity. You'd do jail time for sure."

She poopooed that with a wave of her hand. "Please, like he'd report me and admit what a dick he was? And that he got bested by a girl? I don't think so. Image is everything."

Yes it was. The image of him with Jane was the only thing I could see right now. "Yeah, it is."

Rose rolled her eyes. "I'm just calmer about it now because I've been thinking and I'm sure that there's a decent explanation for everything."

"Why?" I demanded. She'd done something, I knew it.

"Tell me something, Bella. When you were surfing the web this morning, making yourself feel worse, did you bother to watch his acceptance speech?"

I shook my head. "Why would I? So I could watch him and Jane kiss? I don't think so."

She sniffed. "I watched it while you were in the shower. She kissed him on the cheek." Just that much made my stomach lurch and I pushed my plate away. Rose pushed my plate back in front of me. "He mentioned in his speech that he wanted to thank the writers because just recently he'd learned how important words were."

So? What did that mean? "Well he should thank the writers. Without writers, he'd have nothing to say. He'd just have to stand around looking good." Which he would be excellent at. Damn him.

"Come on, Bella! It was a shout out to you! It had to be."

Now it was my turn to sniff. "I think you're reaching. Why would he bother to include me in his stupid acceptance speech?"

Rose smirked. "Exactly. Why would he? Because he's as hooked on you as you are on him, obviously."

If only. "And Jane. And Irina. And God knows who else."

She raised a brow. "He didn't mention either of them in his speech."

"He didn't mention me either! He mentioned the writers. The word thing could refer to anything. Maybe he's got an awesome new script or something."

Rose rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, Bella."

I sighed, defeated. "It doesn't matter, Rose. Even if he was sending me a message, none of it matters now. I fucked up. I told him what I did and he thinks I'm a stalker and hates me." God, that hurt. That hurt more than seeing him with Jane. I'd wanted to know him and have him know me and like me, not hate me. I wish I was just another anonymous fan.

"He's mad, yes. You didn't handle it well. But I doubt he hates you. When he gets some time to process and calm down, maybe he'll get it."

I shook my head. "Don't try to give me hope, Rose. As I was so recently reminded, this isn't a fairy tale. Girls like me don't get the prince. Girls like Jane do. And if not her, it'll be someone else that's from his world. Not me."

"Don't you talk about yourself like that." She was glaring at me. "You can get anybody you want."

No, because all I wanted was Edward and I'd lost him before I had him. I knew better than to say anything though. "Sure, Rose." Okay, maybe my agreement came out sarcastic, but at least I wasn't fighting her.

"Look how fast you got Colin," she muttered.

I groaned. "Thanks for the reminder."

She raised a brow. "What? You're the one who asked him out, not me."

"You gave me his number," I reminded her. It was all her fault I'd done what I'd done. I tried to be like her and I sucked at it.

"Just to show you that you have options in…" she broke off.

"In our world. The real world! Ha!" I was triumphant because I had her there.

"Fine. That you had options here, not to say you don't have options elsewhere. I was trying to show you that you misjudged a situation yet again." She smiled with triumph this time. "Just like you are now. You thought Colin was feeling sorry for you at the bar when really he wanted to jump your hot body."

Oh God, that was gross. "Don't even talk about that."

She laughed. "Why shouldn't I? You're going out with him now."

Crap. "I'll cancel."

She grinned. "Okay, if that's what you want."

I did but I didn't. Edward probably had some other girl lined up for Saturday night, so why shouldn't I have a guy? "I'm going."

"If you say so." She didn't sound as if she believed me at all.

"I do. I'm going to go because I refuse to sit at home wondering what Edward's doing instead of talking to me."

"Very healthy of you," she replied blandly.

"It is." Wasn't it? "Better than wallowing like you said."

"Absolutely," she agreed.

I glared at her. "I know what you're doing."

"Do you?" she asked. "I don't think you know what you're doing, so how could you know what I'm doing?"

I didn't. She was either trying to get me to go or trying to get me not to go. She was using some weird reverse psychology on me but I didn't know the direction she was trying to take. Or trying to get me to take, more accurately.

"No. I don't know what you're doing," I admitted, defeated.

She chuckled. "I can't tell you. All I can say is that I want you to do whatever you want to do. If you want to go out with Colin, go. If you want to stay at home and cry over Edward, do it. If you want to get in the car and drive down to California with me to cut off his balls, do that. I'll support you no matter what, although option number three is by far the most satisfactory for me." She smiled and bit into a French fry with gusto.

"I'm going out with Colin."

"Okay. Be sure to take some _No-Doz_ beforehand" she told me.

I sighed. "That's not very nice."

She laughed. "Since when am I nice? I call it like I see it. He's a bore. He's a great guy for the old Bella, but not for who you are now."

"And who is?" Edward. I felt the pang again. "And I'm still the same Bella."

She shook her head. "No, as you pointed out, the old Bella would have sworn off guys until Ali or I dragged her out of her room and made her go out and interact with some men. The new Bella jumps to conclusions and makes a rash phone call without even consulting with me."

Alright, so maybe I had changed a little. Though I wanted to do what the old Bella would do. Anger had made me call Colin. Stubbornness was keeping me from calling him and cancelling now. That and the knowledge that Edward would never talk to me again. It was pissing me off that hope was trying to worm its way in thanks to Rose. She wasn't supposed to feed my delusions.

"I didn't know you were my mother and I needed to run my dates by you," I replied stiffly.

She raised an eyebrow. "No, I'm not your mother, Thank God. And you don't have to run anything by me. I just thought you'd want to. My bad." There was an edge to her voice and I knew I'd pissed her off a little.

"Sorry, Rose. I didn't mean it like that. I just…I regret doing it and a huge part of me wants to call it off but another part of me wants to go, if only to prove that I can." I sighed. "Edward's gone, no matter what you think. I don't want to close off again, Rose. I can feel it inside me, that urge to just say fuck it all and swear off men forever. I'm never going to find anyone that made me feel the way that he does. I know that. But does that mean I shouldn't find something else?"

She sighed. "The fact that you say that you'll never find anyone that makes you feel the way he does says it all. Why settle?"

"Because I have to! It's over, Rose. It was over before it even started. I wish I'd never talked to him."

"Don't say that."

"But it's true!" My voice was getting a little loud and I tried to lower it. "If I hadn't, I wouldn't know what I was missing. He made me feel more with a few words than Tyler did over two years, Rose. Do you know what it feels like to know that none of that matters now?" It felt like I was torn in half. I was just trying to hold the pieces together the only way I knew how.

She watched me with sad eyes. "No, I don't. I've never felt that way before. But I can tell you something. If I had? I would fight for it with everything I had."

Of course she would. She was a fighter. I was a survivor. "You can't fight for something you never had, Rose."

She shook her head. "You had it, Bella. I saw it. And you can get it back."

"Don't," I begged. "Don't give me hope, Rose. Just help me move on. Help me get through it." The tears were starting again and she got up and wrapped me in her arms.

"Okay. Okay. We'll do whatever you need to do. If you think going out with Colin will be good for you, I'm all for it."

I didn't know. "I don't know if it is but I'm going." And if it was fucked up and terrible like I expected, it was just one night. I'd survived much worse, after all.

She hugged me once more before handing me a napkin. "No more tears. You're one of the strongest people I know, Bella. I won't say another word about it."

I smiled at her. "Thanks Rose. You're the fighter. I'm the survivor. I'll get through. It was only three weeks of my life, right?" It felt like so much longer. Like so much more. God I was an idiot.

She smiled back. "You'll survive, Bella. And I'll fight. I'll fight for you." The last part was muttered but I heard it. I didn't know what it meant but I knew I felt better with Rose by my side.

"That's all I need, then." If I said it enough, I'd believe it eventually.

"Not to bring on anymore waterworks, but did you talk to Alice this morning?" she asked as she sat back down.

I shook my head. "No. She left for class without me."

Rose blew out a breath. "Yeah, I figured as much. After you went to your room, I went to mine and didn't hear a peep out of her all night.'

I put my head in my hands. "This is all so fucked up. She hates me."

"Us," Rose corrected. "I wasn't exactly diplomatic when I ripped into her last night. But she had no right to say the things she did."

"I lied to her, too. I lied to everyone." Including myself.

"Come on, Bella, I was there. If you'd have told her before we found out she was phone dating a teenager, it would have probably been okay. But now she's got both things to be over-dramatic about and she's going to milk it for all she's worth."

I opened my mouth to defend her but what could I say? Alice had always been over-dramatic. Usually I enjoyed her drama, but this time it was directed straight at me and it certainly wasn't any fun. "True. So what do we do?"

Rose sat back. "I don't know. I think we let her come to us. She's going to want to sulk for awhile and I think if we let her do it in private, without reaching out to her, she'll be more apt to get bored with it and want some attention."

I had to laugh at that. "More than likely. She can only shut us out for so long."

"Exactly. You may owe her an apology for not telling her about Edward but she owes you an even bigger one for that shit she said. She's lucky I didn't punch her in the mouth to shut her up."

She was. That was the last thing we needed, though. "Save your violence for someone who truly deserves it."

Rose grinned. "Oh, I am."

"Not him, Rose." I didn't want her to hurt Edward. Not ever.

She shrugged. "Depends on what his next move is."

"I told you, there won't be one."

"We'll see," she replied smugly.

I kicked her under the table. "What did I say about giving me hope?"

"Right, I'm sorry." She didn't look it, though. She was still smiling.

"What?"

"Nothing, Bella. Can't I smile?"

"Not like that you can't."

"Okay." She set her lips in a thin line and I laughed. "Better?"

"Much." I squashed the kernel of hope I felt in my heart. Edward was gone. I had to move on.

Xoxoxoxox

Thursday and Friday went without any communication from Alice or the person I was most hoping for. Granted, I didn't open up _Words_ or my email after Friday morning. I'd checked and had nothing from him and I'd felt the tears threatening again so I resolved to stay away from both until I could deal with it.

I hadn't even seen Alice at all. She was either gone before I got up or she snuck back in when I was out. Rose and I had agreed to leave her be but I had texted her once on Friday night and gotten no response. It made me sad. Normally when I was getting ready for a date, Ali would be right there chirping with excitement and helping me pick out what to wear.

The restaurant we were going to was pretty nice so I couldn't do my jeans and hoodie uniform, which made me more resentful about the date which was ridiculous because I was the one who made it. Rose had abandoned me to go out with Jess and Angela tonight so I was on my own. She'd been muttering to herself a lot in the past twenty-four hours and jumping at every phone call or knock on the door. It was weird. I had no clue what she was so antsy about.

I put on a black dress that came down to just above the knee and had a square cut top that didn't show too much cleavage. The gold heart locket my father had given me for my sixteenth birthday was the only jewelry I wore. Light makeup and I was ready. Well, as ready as I was going to be.

I still had half an hour to kill and my fingers itched to open my laptop but I refused to do it. Before I could stare at my phone and debate whether or not to open my _Words_ app it rang. I had one brief moment of hope but the ringtone wasn't Edwards. The Cops theme song could only be one person and I felt myself smile for the first time all day.

"Hi, Dad."

"Hello, Bella," he said gruffly. "Since when do you ignore my emails?"

Oops. "Sorry, Dad, I've been busy and haven't been on the computer."

"Since when?" he asked and I had to admit he had a point. We both knew I was pretty much buried in the thing most of the time.

"I just…I wasn't checking my email."

"Why?" His voice was very curious. It came with the territory of being a cop. He never let stuff go.

"Uh, no particular reason."

"Isabella Marie Swan, you're a terrible liar. I emailed you on Thursday to ask if you were coming home for break and you have yet to reply. I want to know why."

I sighed. "Dad, it's no big deal. I was avoiding checking my mail because something I wanted to be there hasn't been there and I haven't wanted to check to confirm that it still wasn't there."

There was a long pause on the end of the line. "What does that even mean? You're avoiding your email because you don't want to confirm that something you're hoping for isn't there? What are you talking about, Bella?"

Crap. Trust him not to let me talk in circles. "I had a falling out with someone, Dad." Two someone's actually. "We haven't talked since Thursday morning and I know we're not going to talk anymore but I don't want to confirm it by checking my email and seeing that it's true."

He grunted. "Who is he and what did he do?"

Of course he knew it was a guy. "It was both of us that messed up, Dad. And it's a long story that I don't have time for right now."

"You don't have time for your old man? Why not?"

I glanced at the clock. "I always have time for you, Dad; it's just that I have a date in a few minutes."

"A date? So you made up after all?"

If only. "Not with the same guy."

Another pause. "I see." No he really didn't. "Um, are you sure you want to go out with this guy when you're clearly still thinking about this other guy?"

Et tu, Dad? "The thing with the other guy is over."

He made a noise. "You're lying to yourself instead of me now. If it was over, you wouldn't be ignoring your email."

"Why are you emailing me anyway? You could always call."

"I did call, unlike you. And I felt like emailing."

That was odd. "Why?" He didn't respond. "I can always open my email right now and…"

"Alright!" he interrupted, sounding strange. "I just wanted to know if you were coming home for break because uh…"

I'd never heard my dad sound so unsure of himself. "What, Daddy?" That always melted him.

"Because uh, my…do you remember Sue Clearwater?"

"The librarian? Of course." This was beyond strange. Was he…no! "Dad, are you dating her?"

"No! I mean, yes! I mean, she's, uh, my girlfriend now." It all came out in a rush of words and it was so cute that I had to laugh.

"Your girlfriend? That's great Dad." Why would he have such a hard time telling me that?

"Er, yes, well…the thing is, see, she uh, just moved in here so, you know, I didn't want it to be awkward or anything."

Oh my God, my dad was living with a woman. That was amazing. "That's great, Dad. I'm happy for you. It won't be awkward." As long as I do not ever hear you two having sex. That would be the ultimate awkward.

"Okay, well, good then. So are you coming home?"

Was I? I should be going to the cabin. I wasn't now though. Why couldn't I make myself just say yes? "I'm not sure yet, Dad. We've been working on some plans but haven't finalized anything yet." Why did I say that? They were as final as they could be. I just didn't want to admit it.

"Well, let me know, okay? If you can't come home that weekend, I hope you'll come home soon. I'd really like you to meet officially."

He was so adorable. "I will, Dad." I looked at the clock. Five minutes. "I've got to go."

"Okay. Have fun on your date tonight, Bella, and if he does anything you don't like…"

"I have the pepper spray key chain you gave me, Dad."

He laughed. "Good. Bella?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't know what happened with you and this guy you're avoiding, but if you really like him, you shouldn't run away. Usually the things that scare you the most are the ones you should fight for."

Where had that come from? "Okay, thanks Dad."

"Just think about it. And call me soon."

I would do nothing but. "I will. Love you, Dad."

"Love you, Bells." I stared at my phone when I hung up. That was weird. My father giving me love advice. Had Rose called him? He sounded like her for a minute there.

I shook my head and slipped my phone into my purse. I put on my shoes and went into the living room. Alice was sitting on the couch reading. I stopped and she looked up at me. Neither of us said anything for a minute as her eyes moved up and down me.

"You look like you have a date."

"I do."

She smirked. "Edward Cullen tore himself away from Jane Turner for you? I'm impressed."

Her words pierced at my heart. "No. I'm going out with Colin."

She laughed. "That was fast."

I wasn't going to bother. Alice clearly was still pissed off at me. "Whatever. Bye, Alice."

"I thought you didn't like Colin."

I stopped at the door. "I don't know Colin to like him or dislike him. As you so astutely pointed out, Edward Cullen can do far better than me. I'm just trying to get on with my life instead of sitting around acting like my entire world ended just because my heart got broken. You've got the market cornered on that right now anyway." I stormed out before she could reply. I thought I heard her gasp but I didn't care.

I got downstairs and saw a black sports car pull up. My date was here. I was going to do this. It was just one date; I didn't have to marry the guy. I took a deep breath and walked to the car.

* * *


	28. One Word

The driver's side door opened and Colin stepped out. He was dressed in another suit, this one charcoal gray with a white shirt and tie. What was with this guy and suits? Granted, we were going to a decent restaurant, but a suit wasn't necessary. Edward would probably wear a nice shirt and jeans and look ten times better…no. Not fair, Bella. It wasn't like he'd be taking me anywhere, except maybe to court to get a restraining order since he thought I was a fucking stalker.

"Bella? I could have come to the door, you know?" Colin smiled and I tried to return it but I had a feeling I looked like a gaseous baby. He crossed over to the passenger side and opened the door for me. Of course he had perfect manners. Edward probably did too. He'd helped Jane out of that limo like a gentleman. Shit, stop it.

"I know. I was just ready to go."

"Eager?" he asked, smiling wider. Ugh. No. Eager to get away from Alice though.

I shrugged and got in the car. He closed the door and hurried around to the driver's side. "How's your weekend so far?" I buckled my belt and he did the same before pulling out.

My weekend pretty much sucks, how about yours, Colin? I shrugged again. "It was fine. Nothing exciting. You?"

"Not bad. I managed to get my case study done earlier today, so the rest of the weekend is free." He smiled at me and I wondered if he was thinking that it was free for me. Not likely buddy. Dinner and done. God, I was a bitch. I had to try to be a decent person. He'd done nothing wrong. He actually liked me, unlike the guy I lov…liked.

"That's good. I have a big paper I have to work on all day tomorrow." There. Nip any idea you have about tomorrow in the bud. My paper was already done, though. I thought I'd get it done early so I could be free for Edward next weekend. Idiot.

"That's too bad. It seems like professors like to load us up before Spring Break. Do you have any big plans?" No. Not anymore. Why was he asking me things that had to reopen my wounds? He navigated his car in front of the restaurant and a valet helped me out.

I waited for Colin to come around and get his ticket before answering him. "Um, we're still working out what we want to do. Our initial plans fell through." My voice was flat and hostile sounding but I couldn't help it. I would not be responsible for what I said or did if he asked what those plans had been. Okay, I would. But I didn't want to be.

He put his hand on the small of my back to guide me forward and I jumped away from his touch. He held up a hand. "Sorry."

I tried to smile. "It's okay. You just surprised me."

"Sure." But his blue eyes were wary now as another guy held open the glass doors. We rode up in the elevators in silence and got out at the top floor of the building that housed Max's. Colin gave his name to the hostess and we were led to a table by the windows.

I looked out at the darkening night. "Great view." Seattle was a gorgeous city at night, but for some reason looking out at the lights and the buildings made me sad.

"Yeah. Have you ever been here before?"

I shook my head. "We were going to come for Ali's birthday last year but…" I broke off when I remembered that Rose and Royce had had some huge fight and Rose, Alice and I had ended up getting pizza. "It fell through." I finished. It had actually ended up being a fun night, once Royce left and we blew off Tyler and Jared. If only I'd blown him off for good then.

"We've come a few times for special occasions. My graduation, Mom's birthday, Dad making partner at his firm. I'm sure we'll come for Brady's graduation this year, too. It's great. I hope you like it."

"I'm sure I will." I just want to go home.

"What can I get you to drink?" I saw our waitress eying Colin with interest before glancing away when I looked at her. I nearly snorted. Like I cared? Man, that was terrible. I really needed to suck it up and try to have a good time. This was my stupid, not-so-bright idea after all.

"Just water for me," I told her.

"No wine?" Colin asked. I shook my head. "Okay, water for me as well."

"Okay, can I interest you in any appetizers?"

"Bella, would you like anything?"

"Oh, no, that's okay." I hadn't even looked at the menu but I wasn't exactly starving. There were butterflies in my stomach and I really just wanted to order my dinner.

"Shrimp cocktail and crab cakes, please. Do you like seafood, Bella?" I nodded and he turned back to the waitress. "That'll be it."

He smiled brightly at me when she walked away. "They have really good steak." And expensive. Shit. I should have let him take me to McDonald's. No, I should have just stayed home and not picked up my phone and called him. I was so dumb.

"Oh, I'll probably just have a salad." That was still a ridiculous fifteen dollars. Maybe I should pay him back.

"A salad? Bella, please, I've seen you eat an entire medium pizza before."

He had? Oh shit, he had. Freshman year, Mike Newton had bet me that I couldn't. I'd won a free case of beer and puked my guts up about twenty minutes later.

I actually smiled at the memory. "I got so sick! I couldn't even look at food for two days. I don't think you want me to attempt something like that."

"There it is!" he said triumphantly. I looked at him in confusion. "A real smile. That's the first you've given me since…well, probably since your freshman year."

"That's not true." It couldn't be, could it?

"Okay, maybe not entirely true but it's the first one I've gotten since I ran into you at the bar with my brother."

That was…probably true. "Sorry."

"Don't be." He reached across the table and put his hand over mine. I automatically pulled it away. "Bella, listen, you don't want to be here, do you?"

Crap. He saw right through me. I opened my mouth to lie but he shook his head. "What happened?"

"What do you mean?" Though I had a pretty good idea what he meant.

"I mean, a few days ago you were sort of involved. Now you're not and you're here looking like you're about to take a test or something."

I sighed. "I'm sorry. Things with him kind of blew up and I called you even though…" I trailed off because I didn't know how to finish that sentence. Even though I want to be with him? Even though I love him?

"Even though you're not ready," he finished for me. He closed his menu and sat back.

"Yeah, I'm not. I thought I could be like Rose, you know?"

He laughed. "Rose is an original and I like her very much but you're nothing like her, Bella."

I shook my head. "I know. She's fearless. I'm scared of everything. I can't even go on a date with a nice guy without freaking out about it."

"Well, thank you for that, but it's no big deal. I've been there." He took a sip of the water that had appeared without me even noticing. "I didn't date for several months after Tara and I broke up." Tara? At my blank look he continued. "We were in law school together and dated for a little over a year."

"I'm sorry."

He smiled. "Don't be. It was a long time ago. I'm just letting you know that I get it. Do you want to talk about it at all?"

"Oh, I don't know." I wasn't entirely comfortable with that, plus I could hardly explain my situation with Edward. "I'm sure you don't want to hear about it."

He laughed, flashing those ultra white teeth again. Would it be rude to ask what kind of toothpaste he used? "It's clearly on your mind, so why not talk about it? Get a guy's perspective and all that?"

I shrugged. "There's some of it that I just can't tell."

"So tell me what you can," he encouraged. I paused when the waitress brought the appetizers and two plates.

"Are you ready to order dinner?"

I started to reach for my menu again but Colin answered. "Not yet, thanks." Damn it, he was going to drag this on? He smiled at me. "Sorry, I was thinking maybe we'd just eat this and take off? I know you're not in the mood and…" And I felt terrible.

"Colin, I…"

He waved a hand. "Seriously, Bella, it's no big deal. I'd rather you not force yourself to spend the evening with me. How about we call this a pre-dinner chat amongst friends?"

Why couldn't I be attracted to Colin? He was a perfectly nice guy who didn't think I was a total bitch for not wanting to be out with him but being here anyway. He wasn't Edward though and I just couldn't pretend.

"Okay. But I don't want to keep you from dinner. We could both order and I'll just pay for myself."

Colin laughed. "No, Bella, it's fine. I'm actually kind of craving some junk. I'll pick up something."

"Colin, really, we can eat here."

"Bella, trust me." His smile appeared to be real. He scooped some shrimp and a couple crab cakes onto a plate and pushed the appetizers to me. "Have some and fill me in."

I sighed and took a couple shrimp and some cocktail sauce. "I feel terrible."

"You have no reason to. I've been on some terrible dates in my time. This doesn't even rank in the top five. I like you, Bella, as a person. I'm attracted to you, yes, but you're involved with someone else." I shook my head and he chuckled. "Maybe you're not actually involved, but you're emotionally involved. We'll call this a rain check. You can cash it in if and when you're truly ready to go out with me. Okay?"

I blew out a breath. "Alright. You're far nicer than I deserve."

He swallowed his bite of crab cake. "Not true. Now tell me what went down?"

What could I tell him? "Well, it's kind of weird because we never met."

Colin nodded. "Internet thing?"

That was the best way to describe it. I couldn't really tell him much about it without letting him know that Edward was an actor. "Yeah. He's…he's kind of a known person."

"Famous?" he asked, sounding interested.

"Yes. And I can't say who."

He smiled. "No problem. So you're sure he's who he says he is?"

I sighed. "Well, actually, he didn't know that I knew he was famous. I sort of set out to find him and managed to."

Colin looked almost impressed. "And he found out that you knew?" I nodded, miserable as I remembered our conversation. I had fucked that up so royally it wasn't even funny. "And I take it he was displeased."

I laughed. "That's an understatement. It was my fault, totally. I saw something and blew it out of proportion and attacked him with it, and of course I wasn't supposed to know about it because I wasn't supposed to know who he was."

I ate my shrimp and it was really good. Too bad I'd ruined our night before it started. Maybe I'd get back here for real one day.

"Yeah? So what happened?"

"Angry words. He called me a stalker, I called him a cheater. He accused me of lying about my past and everything else and I rubbed my date with you in his face." I shot him a guilty look and he laughed.

"So that explains your phone call. I take it that was before this confrontation?" I nodded. "Well, I'm sort of oddly flattered that you used me to make some famous guy jealous."

I laughed. "You're weird."

"Maybe, but it is flattering. So how did you end things?"

"I, uh, told him to have fun with the girl I accused him of going out with and he told me to have fun with you."

Colin let out a low whistle. "Brutal. When was this?"

"Thursday morning."

"And you haven't talked to him since?"

"No." I sighed. "I haven't checked my email but I'm fairly confident he hasn't written to me and he certainly hasn't called."

"So why don't you call him? You called me. You're capable of it."

I stared at him. "Did you not hear me say that he called me a stalker? I don't think he's a real fan of mine right now."

"Maybe not, but you were angry at the time. Now that you've both had a couple of days to calm down, you should try to talk it out." I shrugged. "What do you have to lose?"

Good question. "My dignity?"

He laughed. "Seems to me you probably already lost that when you fought with him."

I met his amused gaze. "That's three of you that think I should try to talk to him."

"Well, I'm sure I'm the best of the group but I like when people agree with me."

I laughed. "I'll tell Rose you said that."

"Please don't. She's the best, by far." He rolled his eyes. "She hates my brother already; I don't need to get on her list as well."

"She doesn't hate him, exactly." He laughed and I smiled. "Okay, maybe she hates being told what to do."

"Most of us do. But I'm telling you anyway. Call him. If he doesn't answer, email him. Get it all out and you'll feel better. At least you know you tried, right?"

"Maybe." The idea of trying to talk to Edward had butterflies in my stomach again, but they were the excited kind. Was it possible to salvage anything? He may never want to be with me again but maybe he could at least not hate me. I could deal with that. Maybe. Okay, not really, but it was a start. I'd already lost everything anyway, so Colin was right, there was nothing more that I could lose. Pride, maybe, but where had that gotten me?

He smiled knowingly. "You're going to do it."

I nodded. "I think I am."

"Good. I hope you'll let me know how it goes." The waitress came back and Colin turned to her. "I'm afraid we have to get going. Can we get the check?" She looked momentarily surprised but went off to get it.

"Thanks, Colin. You're a lot cooler about this than you should be."

"I'm a cool guy, Bella."

"You are. I wish…"

He held up a hand. "No you don't. You like your famous guy and there's nothing wrong with that. Like I said, if it doesn't work out for real and you decide that you'd like to go out with me, we'll see if I'm available." He grinned. "I am a catch you know."

I laughed. "You are and our waitress would like to catch you." He looked surprised. "You didn't notice?"

"No. My brother says I'm oblivious to girl's who are interested in me." He chuckled. "I guess I go after the ones who aren't. I must be a masochist."

"Please. If it was any other time in my life, I'd be interested."

He grinned. "Thanks for that, Bella." He took the check and slapped down a couple of twenties, which was well more than we owed. "Let's get you home. You have a phone call to make."

I did. If he told me to go to hell, well, at least I'd know.

Xoxoxoxox

Colin pulled up in front of my building. "Good luck, Bella."

"Thanks." I wondered if I should kiss him on the cheek or something but it didn't feel right. I opened the door and waved at him as I stepped out. "See you around."

"Sure thing. I expect some kind of update on your attempts to talk to him. I'll be happy for you if things work out, okay?"

"Okay." I smiled at him again. He really was a great guy. I shut the car door and went up to my place, unlocking the door. I couldn't wait to get out of this dress and get into some comfortable clothes and call Edward. I shut it and flipped the locks, turning into the living room. Alice was there, sitting on the recliner and staring at me.

"You're home early." She sounded pissed off still and I really wasn't in the mood to deal with both her and Edward tonight.

"Yeah."

"So how did it go?"

Like she cared? "Are you talking to me again?"

"It appears that way," Alice told me sarcastically.

"Well, that's great but I'm really not in the mood right now." I started to walk toward my room.

"That's too bad. I'm in the mood to talk about everything. I think you owe me that much after you lied to me for weeks."

Damn it. It seemed this was my night to confront everything after all. "I didn't lie to you! I just didn't tell you I was talking to Edward. You would have been so upset, Alice. Hell, look at how you did take it."

"I know how I took it and I'm sorry. I still think you were wrong for not telling me but I never should have said the things I did." Alice actually seemed like she meant it and I saw that her eyes were bloodshot. "Will you please sit down and clue me in?"

I sighed and sank onto the couch. "What do you want to know?"

"First tell me why you're home so early."

Really? Like that wasn't obvious? "You know why. I didn't want to go in the first place. It didn't take Colin long to figure it out. He told me we could call it a night after we ate our appetizers. He's a nice guy and he deserved better than a non-date with me."

"Did you kiss him?"

Right. I couldn't even let the poor guy touch me without jumping five feet. "Of course not. We agreed to part as friends and he told me that if I decide I'm really ready to date, to let him know."

"Well, that's good. Now, tell me what happened with Edward." She managed to say it without sounding pissed off.

"You know what happened. I saw him with Jane." And then I went and fucked everything up, because that's what I do.

"Yeah, that I know, but what happened then?"

She had a right to know the whole story and I missed talking to her. "I was stupid. I made the date with Colin and then when Edward texted me about spending time with him told him I had a date. He called and it all came out. I was mad so I told him that I knew it was him and he called me a stalker and told me to have a good date."

"He called you a stalker?" Alice said it a lot like Rose did and I felt a little gratified that she was still a little protective of me.

"Yeah."

"You're not a stalker, Bella."

"That's what I told him but he didn't want to hear it. I just wanted a chance to get to know him. I don't know what's so wrong with that." Maybe I went about it all wrong, but I really didn't think anything would happen beyond us talking a little. I never thought I'd fall for him for real. I certainly never thought he would either. Why would I think that? It was insane.

"Nothing's wrong with it. When did you figure out that you had him for sure?"

I sighed and fiddled with the hem of my dress. "I didn't know for sure until we IMed. He told me his name was Edward a little before that so I suspected I was right, but I wasn't sure until then."

"How'd you know?" Alice sat forward.

"Stuff he shared with me about Irina. The fact that he was in Europe. I don't remember; it was a lot of little things that confirmed it for me." I couldn't even remember all the little things that I'd ticked off in the beginning anymore. It had moved so far beyond that and I'd just stopped thinking about the actor and started thinking about the man.

"And if it hadn't been him?"

"I wouldn't care, Alice. I liked him. He made me feel…shit, I don't even know how to describe it. He made me feel beautiful even before I sent him a picture. He made me laugh and turned me on and made me happy all at the same time." I wish he'd been someone else, because then I wouldn't have gotten jealous and he wouldn't hate me now.

"Did you, I don't know, act any differently with him?"

What in the hell kind of question was that? "What do you mean?"

"I don't know, did you act like someone you're not to get him to like you? You figured out his name, right, so maybe you figured out his perfect woman."

She was being kind of weird. "Why are you asking me so many questions?"

"Because you shut me out, remember?" Her voice started to rise and I hurried to shut it down. I didn't have it in with me to fight with her anymore.

"Alright. No. I don't know anything about what sort of person Edward likes, Alice. I know who he's dated and I can't remotely compare to them looks-wise. Who else would I be? I suck at being anybody but me. I tried to be like Rose tonight and Colin saw right through me and brought me home." Back to being boring Bella. It was so much easier.

"You weren't ready," Alice pointed out.

"I know. I nearly called it off but I figured since Edward hates me now, there was no reason not to go. I'm going to have to date eventually, right?"

Alice laughed. "I don't know. You did alright without dating before. You got Edward Cullen."

"I lost him." And nothing had ever hurt more.

"Maybe. Have you tried to talk to him since?"

"No. I haven't even looked at _Words_ or my email because I knew there'd be nothing from him and it would hurt to see that. Hearing from him has been the highlight of my day, even when we just had time for a quick word and a couple sentences." I missed it all. The sweet words, the sexy words, learning about him, sharing stuff about me. It was amazing how much I'd come to rely on our talks in such a short time.

"Well, if you really like him, you should try to talk to him. Explain that you like him, fame or no fame."

I laughed. I'd planned on it, but now, talking to Alice about everything, it seemed like a stupid idea. Why would he forgive me? We'd likely never get back what we had. "You didn't hear him, Alice. He hates me. He thinks I'm a stalker. He thought I made up Tyler, for crying out loud. Why would I do that?"

"People do crazy things to meet their crushes. Look at us." Alice shook her head with a smile. "I was sexting a teenager."

Good, we could talk about something else for a minute. "Did you talk to him yet?"

"No. I was going to on Wednesday but…"

"Yeah, but…" Life was full of buts.

"I'm sorry for what I said. I was hurt but there was no excuse for that. Rose was right about me." Alice's gray eyes were pleading with me to forgive her. We'd both been wrong though. There were things we couldn't take back, but I knew we could move on.

"I'm sorry, too. You couldn't have known that I was talking to Edward. I should have come clean the morning after I sent my first word."

"Maybe, but I still would have been convinced I had the right Edward. StevenSteele, how stupid was I?"

I had to laugh. "You could just as easily have been right."

"No. You deserved to find him. I'm sorry. I was jealous as hell and just so angry, Bella." Tears spilled down Alice's cheeks and I hurried over to hug her. I couldn't stand to see her cry. There'd been entirely too much crying lately.

"It's okay, Alice. I should have told you sooner. I'm sorry you found out the way you did."

She squeezed me back. "No more secrets, okay?"

"Okay." Secrets clearly never got me anywhere good. I'd learned that the hard way twice.

"I love you, you know. You're my sister."

Yes, and she was mine. Sisters fought. "I love you, too."

"I think I'm going to call Jasper. It's time for me to talk to him. And it's time for you to talk to Edward. You found him when nobody else did and I guarantee you we weren't the only two to try. I think you belong together." Her tone was encouraging now. I released her and stood up straight.

I had to laugh, that was four people now. "Did you talk to my father or something? He told me that avoiding him wasn't the answer."

"No, but Charlie's a smart guy."

He was. Oh! I had something that would make her really smile. "Yeah. Oh my God, I haven't told you! Apparently Sue Clearwater is living with him."

She shrieked and bounced in her chair, clapping her hands. "What? Charlie's got a girlfriend? This I have to see!"

"Yeah, he called to see if I was coming home for Spring Break." Damn Spring Break. It was going to be so great.

"Are you?"

I sighed. "I don't know. I was supposed to go to a cabin in Mt. Rainier with Edward but that's obviously not happening so…maybe? I told Dad I'd let him know."

"Well, it sounds to me like you should talk to Edward and then make a plan. Spring Break is less than a week away."

"I know. We'll see. I'm going to go change and veg out for awhile I think."

"Sounds fair." I headed toward my room. Alice's voice stopped me.

"Oh and Bella?"

"Yeah?"

"Edward's nothing like Tyler. I'm sorry I said that. You need to talk to him."

I would. Maybe not tonight, now, but I would soon. I needed to get my thoughts together. "Thanks, Alice. I'll think about it."

I turned on my light and stepped into my room. Something moved out of the corner of my eye and I glanced at my bed. My heart stopped and then began to pound. It couldn't be. I was hallucinating. I'd obviously suffered a severe mental break from all the drama and stress in my life. Now I was seeing him sitting on my bed as if he belonged there. His green eyes were staring at me like he was thirsty and I was the only glass of water around for miles. I'd dreamed of him looking at me like that right before he kissed the life out of me. His right hand lifted in a sort of wave and he smiled. He looked real. Could he be real?

"Edward?"


	29. Face Time

This was it. I'd officially lost my mind. Where was Rose? She needed to make sure the men in white coats didn't drug me. I clearly didn't need them. I was already seeing things.

"It's happened." I closed my eyes and rubbed them. "I'm having a psychotic break. I've lost my mind. It was only a matter of time."

He laughed, his rich, happy laugh that I'd heard several times on the phone before I fucked everything up. I opened my eyes and he was still there. "Is this real?"

He took a step toward me and I started to think that maybe I hadn't lost my mind. Somehow, Edward was in my bedroom, watching me nervously because I was acting like a crazy person. His hand slowly approached me and pushed my hair out of my face, his fingers touching my cheek. Real. Holy shit, he was real and his hands were on me. I felt his touch down to the tips of my toes. It was even better having his beautiful fingers on me than I could ever have imagined.

"Hi, Bella."

That voice. It washed over me and I drew in a deep breath, touching my cheek where his fingers had been, feeling the echo of his fingers there.

"You're really here." He nodded but I still had to be sure. I put my hand on his chest and dear God, he felt all hard and good and I just wanted to do things to him but no. Somehow he was here but we had so much to talk about. I tapped his chest and he stayed solid. Perhaps I was dreaming. It'd be wonderful if the past couple of days had all been a nightmare.

"This can't be real. I'm dreaming, right? I'm going to wake up in the morning and everything's going to suck again."

He put his hand over mine and that feeling shot through me again. It was like every nerve ending in my body was attached to the hand he touched. "I really hope that's not the case."

Okay. So he was here. Why was he here? "What, why…what are you doing here?" I asked softly. Every hard word we'd said echoed in my ears again and I felt myself start to tear up. He pulled me against him and I was enveloped in a clean, soapy, man smell that I wanted to breathe in forever. I put my arms around his waist and pressed my face into his chest. He was real. He really was. Maybe he didn't hate me.

His hands were rubbing my back lightly and I felt his something move through my hair. Did he kiss me? Maybe it really was a dream. It felt so good in his arms though.

"Bella, baby, please don't cry. I don't think I could bear it." Baby? I looked up at him trying to absorb the fact that he'd called me baby again. His thumbs moved over my cheeks and wiped at the tears I couldn't seem to stop crying. It was annoying because he was here and I shouldn't be crying all over him. But he was touching me and I never wanted him to stop, so I could cry forever if need be.

"Can we talk?" he asked, studying me intently with those beautiful green eyes. I wanted to get lost in them but he was right. He'd come a long way and we needed to talk.

I stepped back and wiped at my tears. "I guess we should, huh?" I didn't think I could stand much longer so I sat on the bed. He glanced around so I patted the bed next to me. Maybe he didn't want to be that close to me but I needed him there, if he would be. He didn't hesitate, sitting down and taking my hand in his immediately. I tried to ignore the buzz going through me this time. I had to focus. This might be all the time we had.

"What are you doing here?" May as well go with the big one.

"My brother drove me up here." Emmett was here? Rose would die. I glanced around to see if I'd somehow missed the giant of a man. Edward laughed and it was beautiful. "He's getting a hotel room and food and stuff. I have to call him shortly."

"Right. Um, why did you come up? I mean, not that I'm upset that you did or anything, because I'm not. I'm really…" I closed my eyes and tried to figure out what of the billion things I needed to say I should say first. Why was he here? Oh, of course. His reputation. I had to reassure him. "I'm sorry." I tugged my hand away from his and stood, not wanting to touch him while I reiterated the fact that I wasn't out for publicity. "You're probably here to make sure that I meant what I said about going to the press."

He shook his head but I hurried on. "I did mean it. I wasn't out to hurt you, Edward. I'm so, so sorry that I did. I would never tell anybody the things we talked about." I was walking around and gesturing. My feet hurt so I kicked off the stupid shoes. I wanted to get out of my dress but that could wait.

"Okay, I mean, I told Rose some things, but not anything too bad and she won't go to the press." Then again, with Rose, anything was possible. "Well, yeah, she might because she's pretty pissed at you calling me a stalker, but I won't let her. She usually listens to me. Except, she didn't, did she?" I stopped and turned to look at him. "Did she call you? Did she make you come?" She had to have.

He held up his hands. "Bella, would you please sit back down? You're making me dizzy." I did as he asked and his hand appeared to be waiting for mine again so I went ahead and took it. Was he like me? Did he feel like we needed to be touching? Even though the buzz returned, it calmed me in a way.

"I'm not here because I'm worried about you going to the press." That was great. I started to reply and his finger landed on my lips. Holy shit, his finger was right there. I could kiss it, or suck on it, or…focus damn it. "My turn, okay? You asked me some questions and I'd like to answer." I nodded and tried not to think about that finger doing all sorts of interesting things to me.

"First things first, I'm here because we need to talk, face to face. No more lies, no more secrets, no more misunderstandings. Does that work for you?" His eyes bore into me.

"Yes."

"Good." He smiled and I automatically returned it. "Yes, Rose called." Damn it I told her not to! "But she didn't reach me. She got my brother. Apparently the two of them talked about the two of us and determined that we needed to talk to each other. My brother took it upon himself to get me in the car under the guise of going for a test drive and then told me we were coming here."

He was here against his will. Of course he was. "So, you didn't want to come." I heard the sadness in my own voice and tried to shake it off.

He squeezed my hand. "Not at first." He tilted his head. His hair looked so soft. I wanted to touch it. Maybe I could get in one feel before he left. "Well, I wasn't admitting it at first. I could have fought him on it more, or I could have called the cops, but I didn't because a big part of me wanted to come see you."

He did? The words made me happy, but I didn't understand. "Why?" I asked. "I thought you hated me."

"I wanted to. I tried to. I threw some stuff when we got off the phone, I went and beat the crap out of Alec, I drank…none of those things got you out of my head. What I really wanted was to turn back the clock a day or two and go back to blissful ignorance."

I laughed because I'd had that thought moments ago. "Yeah, I've thought about that more than once myself."

"There are so many things I want to know. Alice asked you a lot of them."

Alice? She'd set me up. She'd helped me. Maybe things really could be alright between us again. Our talk had been good. This was better, if he liked what he heard. "So you heard all that?"

"Yeah. She was a bit hostile at first but then she decided she wanted to help me out, to make things better for the two of you."

Oh, I just bet she was hostile! "She told you about that?"

His laugh moved through me. "Well, yeah. I can't say that I followed it all but I know she found a seventeen-year-old me and you didn't tell her you had the real me and it all blew up." He studied me. "She said she said some very hurtful things to you and she wanted to try to make it up to you by asking you those questions for me."

Talk about a strange evening. My date wasn't even the weird part. I would not have imagined that. "Wow. This is just…I can't wrap my head around it. I go out on a date with the wrong guy and come home to find the right one sitting in my bedroom and the roommate who seemed to hate me has possibly forgiven me and is helping me out."

"Yeah, it's a pretty strange day all in all." He looked at his shoes. "Are you sure he was the wrong guy? I mean, I heard what you told Alice but…you don't like him?" He sounded so uncertain. Didn't he know? Nobody could ever replace him in my heart.

"Yes, I'm sure. He's nice but he's not…" I stopped, not sure if I should say it or not. "You." Edward smiled brightly at that and I wanted to kiss him.

Wait. What was I thinking? He had a girlfriend. I pulled my hand away from his. "That doesn't matter though, right? I forgot. You have Jane. I…why…why are you here?" He'd traveled all this way just to what exactly?

"Bella, I don't have Jane. I never did. She's one of my best friends in the world. Her boyfriend dumped her and she needed someone to walk the red carpet with her so she didn't look pathetic and alone." He ran a hand through his hair. "She knows all about you. We talked about you in the limo, but she was drinking and then the questions upset her so she said something stupid."

Really? The look in his eyes, though. The way that he touched her. I couldn't forget that if I tried. "What about the way you touched her?"

"She had just seen him with the newer, younger girl. I was just trying to support her, to tell her that she was worth a billion of those girls and he'd be sorry he ever let her go. Jane's great, Bella, but she's not great for me. She's like my sister."

"She is?" Really? Then why did he tell me he was a liar? "But you said…"

His shoulders moved. "I think we both said things we didn't mean to. I was mad that you hid something so huge from me and I wanted to hurt you like you hurt me."

I had and I deserved it. I turned to face him. "I'm sorry I hurt you, Edward. That was never my intention."

He nodded. "I know. But if you don't mind my asking, what did you want? I mean, you said you wanted to know me. Was that all?"

I didn't even know how to explain it. I put my hand on his knee and his immediately covered mine again. It was easy to touch him. So strange but so right. "Honestly, I never allowed myself to think beyond that initial urge to find you in the beginning. I just heard that you played _WWF;_ Alice announced she was going to try to find you and I decided to try too. I had a crush on you, obviously, but I never thought I'd find you. When you responded, you just seemed so nice and real and funny and I wanted more of you." So much more.

"How much more?"

I had to laugh at him echoing my thought. "I can't say I planned on us having phone sex and being here now and just…I let myself dream a little, Edward. That's what people do about famous people, you know? We imagine that if we only had a chance to meet them, they'd like us like we like them."

He looked uncomfortable so I squeezed his leg and tried to fix it. His fame was getting in the way. I didn't want it to. He was so much more to me than just an amazing actor.

"That bothers you. I get it. I want you to know that what you heard me say to Alice was true. Most of the time I forgot you were you. You were just my Edward and I loved talking to you. I had periods where I would remember who you were and I'd wonder what in the hell you could possibly see in me, but for the most part I just let myself be me and you seemed to like me."

"I did." Past tense, of course. "I do like you Bella." He touched my face again and I tried not to let myself get carried away. He still liked me?

"I'm going to try to explain to you why it bothered me so much that you knew who I was all along."

"Okay." Like I was going to argue with him.

"I've been famous since I was eighteen, Bella. Before that, I was the geeky kid that I told you about. I went from some nobody to a somebody almost overnight, it seemed. Girls were everywhere. I was smart enough to know that they weren't necessarily interested in the guy who liked cartoons and science fiction. I ignored that in the beginning." He made a face. "I was young, I was rich and girls wanted me. I tried to enjoy that."

Who could blame him? We'd all probably enjoy that kind of attention. "I imagine you did."

He gave me that lopsided smile of his. "It got old, though, fast. I couldn't invite a girl over to watch the newest action flick with me. They wanted to be out and be seen with me. They didn't care about the things that interested me, just what the hottest restaurant or club was, you know?" I got it. They wanted to be seen with Edward Cullen, not be with him. "It didn't take me long to mostly stop dating. I had a couple of relationships that were okay but were still a lot for show. Irina…" Ugh, damn her. I frowned and Edward laughed.

"You're cute."

"Sorry, I hate that she hurt you like that." I still wanted to hit her.

He shrugged. "Honestly, she didn't in retrospect. It seemed like it at the time, but my pride was more wounded than my heart. She was better at the game than most of them and she pretended to be interested in the things I was, or at least to listen to me talk about them, but it was all lies." He watched me closely. "I can tell you that what happened with you and me on Thursday hurt me more than anything Irina ever did."

Oh God, I'd hurt him more than she had? Why'd I have to lose my temper? I never, ever wanted to hurt him. I felt the tears start again.

"Please, baby, don't cry. I'm not saying that to hurt you." He cupped my face in his hands, holding me like I was precious glass. "I'm saying that so you know just how much you mean to me. Three weeks with you was worth so much more than six months with her. It tore me up to think that I'd been wrong about you."

No, you were never wrong, Edward. "You weren't, I swear you weren't. I loved everything I got to know about you. The fact that you were kind of a dork and admitted it, your love for cartoons and cult classic movies, your fear of your mom…" He winced and I had to giggle. "All of that and more."

"I know. That's why it hurt so much to lose it." Yes, it did hurt. I closed my eyes and felt his fingers moving over my cheeks. "That's why I couldn't stop thinking about you and why I didn't fight my brother when he dragged me up here. I wanted, no, I want things to be the way were before. If they can be."

He'd go back with me? After all I'd done? "Do you think they can?"

He ran a finger over my lip again and his eyes sparkled at me. God he was beautiful. "I haven't been able to take my hands off you since you walked into this room. I've had to fight the urge to kiss you about a dozen times already. I think they can."

He wanted to kiss me? I wanted to kiss him. So, so much. "You want to kiss me?"

He made a noise. "Of course I do. I've thought about kissing you a billion times before we met and now here I am in the same room with you. You're gorgeous, you're wearing a sexy dress, you smell great and your skin is incredibly soft. If I wasn't sure that I wouldn't be able to stop, I would have done it by now."

I licked my lips and decided to be brave. He'd come all this way for me, after all. "Why don't you?"

"Because I won't ever stop."

"So don't." I could happily kiss you until the end of time.

"I have to finish first." Right. We should talk. Kissing could come later. Please, let him kiss me later. "My life isn't easy, Bella. There are going to be premieres and red carpets and rumors everywhere I go. I know that you had reason to react to the Jane thing the way you did. I should have told you I was going to be with a female friend, but I didn't think you knew who I was so I didn't. I've been told by several people that I'm a dumbass for not at least telling you something first. I honestly didn't think it was going to be an issue though."

It shouldn't have been. I'd been stupid and let myself believe he was Tyler all over again. Alice was right though, he was so much better. "I should have listened to you before I jumped all over you and assumed the worst." His hand was under my jaw and he tipped my face to look up at him. I tried to smile. "I would give anything to go back and not attack you the way I did. It's just really hard for me to believe you could want someone like me when you're surrounded by people like Jane and Irina."

He frowned. "Bella, I think you're incredible. You're worth a thousand Irina's and I hate that you think that you're not."

I had to be honest with him. I would try, but it was hard for me not to assume the worst. "It's hard for my mind not go there, Edward. Tyler fucked me up, a lot. I did try, in the beginning, to tell myself that it was nothing but the questions and Jane's answers and the way you held on to her…"

"She was drunk and upset, Bella. I was trying to keep her from doing something stupid, like taking off her shoe and stabbing Demetri with it. Believe me, it was one of the options she was considering."

I got that all too well. "I bet. I thought of some very clever things to do with Tyler over the months too. It hurt. I was trying to tell myself I wasn't seeing what I thought I was seeing and Rose was talking me down, then Alice heard us talking and it all blew up. I let myself believe the things she was saying, about how I couldn't keep a guy like Tyler interested, so how could I keep you and I just went crazy. I called Colin and made the date without stopping to think." His eyes were hot and annoyed. I took his hand between both of mine. I had to give it all to him, though. I couldn't explain away what I'd done, there was no excuse. Hopefully he'd understand my overreaction though.

"I was going to cancel it, but then I woke up in the morning and saw all those websites and those pictures and got mad all over again. Then you texted me, being all cute and asking me for a date right after I thought you'd been on a date with her and I lost it again. I shouldn't have done that. I shouldn't have answered my phone until I could talk to you like a civil person, not some crazy, possessed one." If I hadn't, he might not be here right now though. It was hard to be sorry that I got to meet him a week earlier.

"You threw me for a loop," he told me. "I didn't understand why you'd go out with someone else when we were trying to figure this thing out with us. Then you laid into me about Jane and all I could think about was trying to explain it to you so you'd forgive me. When you lowered the boom about looking for me, that's when my temper came out."

I'd deserved it. I'd been stupid and rash and I wish I could take it back and tell him the right way, if there was one. "I'm sorry, Edward. I'm sorry I told you like that. I had to tell you, I knew that, and I planned on doing it before we met. I didn't want you to come here with that hanging over our heads. I thought maybe you'd walk away when I did, but I hoped you wouldn't. Then again, I didn't plan on telling you after I called you a cheater and told you I had a date of my own." I'd definitely had messed up timing.

He chuckled. "It certainly didn't help matters, but I admit I never would have taken it well. I would have needed time to think about it and to question what was real and what wasn't. I'd like to think I wouldn't have lost my temper if you told me another way, but I might have. It meant so much that you liked the person I was, not the actor."

Oh, Edward, I get it. I don't see how you could like me when you could have anyone. Of course you want to be liked for who you are. "I do. I know you might not believe that, but I really do. I didn't know I had you until we IMed and I was already hooked on you before that. Your words…" I had to smile. "You could get to me with just a sentence or two. Nobody's ever done that before. You're so funny and smart and witty. You once said that you wanted to save all our messages on _Words_ , well, I did. I took pictures of them." I felt my skin heating at that confession. I wasn't going to keep anything from him ever again though. For as long as he was willing to talk to me, to maybe be with me, I'd tell him anything he wanted to know.

"You should send me those pictures." He sounded almost desperate.

I giggled. Of course he asked for them. "Okay. If you want."

"I do. Very much." He took a deep breath. "Bella, I believe you." He did? Thank God! "I believe that you really just wanted to get to know me and that you weren't after me for nefarious reasons. I'm sorry I said that you were."

I couldn't blame him for having thought it. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner. I didn't want to lose you. You meant so much more to me than I thought you would and I didn't want you to take off the instant you heard." That's the only reason I didn't tell you.

"Meant, past tense?"

No, Edward. I don't think my feelings for you could ever be past tense. "No, not past tense."

He caressed my cheek again. "My life is complicated, Bella. If we're going to try to do this, I need you to trust me. I meant it when I said I wouldn't cheat on you. I haven't looked at or thought about another girl since you came into my life. We weren't even together, technically, and I still wouldn't have considered dating anyone else."

"Me either." Well, shit, except for that thing with Colin. I hadn't wanted to though. "Really, I was going to break that date with Colin until you told me that you'd lied and implied that Jane was more than friend."

He nodded. "I hated that you were out with him. I hated that I didn't get here in time to stop you from going."

I laced our fingers together. "I was miserable and kept thinking about you the whole time. He called me on it and I admitted that I wasn't ready to go out with anybody. I told him a little about you…" He made a face. "And he told me I should call you and clear the air. He's not a bad guy, Edward. He's just not you."

"No other girl gets me like you do, Bella. Do…" He swallowed. "Do you want to try again? To see what we can be without all the secrets between us? I was going to tell you who I was that day, you know." He chuckled. "What a pair we are."

Of course, we were both going to come clean that day before everything blew up. "Yeah, we are. At least, I want to be, that is, part of a pair, with you. Jeez, I am such a spaz." God I was embarrassing.

He smiled brightly. "I believe I've heard that somewhere before."

My first reply to him. I had to laugh. "Yeah, well, you're a dork, so we're even."

"I am not a whale penis," he protested, his lips twitching.

"Welllllll," I said. He started tickling me so I shrieked and tried to get away. "Okay, okay, you're not a whale's penis."

"Thank you. You are a spaz but I love you that way."

Love? Did he mean that? No, too, soon. "Good." Had we talked enough yet? "Edward?"

He'd gone a little pale when he used the L word. "Yeah?"

"I'm really glad you're here and that you forgive me for being such an insane bitch the other day." He started to say something but I rushed on. "No, I was and I don't deserve a second chance but I'm going to take it if you're offering." He nodded and I felt my heart start to pound. "Can we maybe stop talking and could you kiss me now?" I really didn't think I could wait any longer.

His mouth dropped open. "What? You want me to kiss you?"

I licked my lips and nodded. "Yes, I very much do."

He hopped up and pulled me to my feet. "What about the fact that I told you that if I kiss you, I might not be able to stop?"

I smiled at the very idea. We could kiss for as long as was humanly possible as far as I was concerned. "What makes you think I'd want you to stop?"

He rested his hands on my shoulders. "I didn't come here for this, you know? I came because I wanted to clear the air. We don't have to…"

"Edward, shut up and kiss me." Enough talking. We can talk again later if need be. The fact that you still want me…God, just show me.

His hands slid down my back and he pulled me to him. He was so strong and hard and just so beautiful. I smiled up at him, waiting for him to kiss me. I wasn't going to force him. His head bent toward me. I put my arms around his neck and finally gave in to the urge to touch his hair. It was as soft and perfect as I imagined. I scratched his scalp lightly and he made a noise that made me want to wrap my legs around his waist and rub against him.

He was moving painfully slowly so I flexed my fingers against his scalp, trying to pull him down to me faster. His lips were finally on mine then, just a quick rubbing sensation, then another and another. I had to see him so I opened my eyes and his were hungry on mine. He kissed me a little harder and I sighed against them. He took my bottom lip between his and pulled gently. I moaned and opened my mouth to him and there it was, his tongue moving against mine. I tilted my head and he slid further into my mouth.

Nothing had ever felt this good. Not sex, not oral sex, nothing. Edward's lips were the best thing in the entire world and my body felt like it was on fire. I touched his tongue with mine, applying more pressure, wanting so much to devour him but it was too much, too soon. His hands were tight around my waist and I tugged on his hair.

He pulled back, his chest heaving. I smiled up at him and he kissed me again, his lips hard on mine. This time I let myself rub against him, my breasts pressing into his chest. I wanted so much with him, everything with him. He moaned and pulled back. "You really are going to be the death of me, aren't you?"

I laughed. I'd heard him say that before. "I should hope not. I need way more than that before you die."

He chuckled and fell back onto my bed. "I should call my brother, let him know that I'm still alive and have him come get me."

He was leaving? I'd just gotten him. "You're leaving already?"

"No! I just didn't want to assume that you wanted me to…"

"Stay." It was so unlike me to be brave like this, but with him I could be. "Please stay with me."

He stared at me. "I won't go anywhere."

"So, you're all mine for the night?" What a thought that was!

"Yes, I'm all yours."

"I like the sound of that." So much.

He grinned and looked almost boyish. "Whatever will you do with me?"

I giggled. "I can think of a few things." I had a feeling one of them would surprise him, but hopefully he'd like it. Edward Cullen was spending the night with me. It was hard to wrap my mind around it but I knew exactly what I wanted to do with him. Many things, really, but first, he owed me something.


	30. Reach Out & Touch Someone

I couldn't help grinning at him.

"What?" His voice was a little huskier and it made me want to kiss him silly, but it felt like we needed a little time.

"Do you remember what you asked me to do?" I was going to have a date with Edward Cullen. Much better and much more me than my original plans.

He looked adorably confused. "Uh, maybe you could clarify which thing?"

A laugh bubbled out of me. I was so excited it was ridiculous. "Okay, do you remember what you asked on Thursday morning before I decided to unleash my inner she-beast on you?"

His green eyes lit up. Good, maybe I'd gotten it right. "You mean the movie date?"

I nodded. "For Saturday night." Unbelievably, he was here with me instead of on the phone. Life was crazy, but good. "And it's Saturday night."

He smiled at me. "Yes, it is. So you want to watch a movie with me?"

"Yeah." I chewed on my lip and tried to think of a way to let him know that I just needed a little time. I did want him, God, did I, but after everything it just felt like maybe we should take a little time. Not long though, please, not long. "It's not that I don't want you, it's just…"

He folded me in his arms and I just wanted to stay there forever. "I know, Bella. Believe me, I know. We have time, hopefully lots of it. I'd love to watch a movie with you, provided I get to hold you and maybe steal a few kisses."

Oh yeah! That's exactly what I want! "Isn't that was a movie date is about? Sitting close, making your move, and trying to cop a feel?"

He chuckled. "That's what I've been told. I didn't really get to experience it like that. Geek to famous, remember?"

It was mind-boggling really. "Well, you're at college now, time to act like a college boy." I squeezed him. I had to get out of this dress. "I'm going to go change into something more comfortable." I glanced at myself, wondering if he had the wrong impression based on my outfit. "This isn't really my usual style."

"I think you look stunning, but I want you to be comfortable." Stunning? Me? He was the stunning one. I could barely wrap my head around how beautiful he was. I went to my dresser and grabbed my favorite night shirt and some pants, even though I usually didn't wear those to bed. Still, if I just wore a t-shirt I'd be screaming for him to touch me now, which I sort of was but I didn't need to be obvious about it. Plus, we needed this. Time to just be.

"Pajamas," I told him, feeling my face heat.

"Sexy," he said, looking sexy himself.

"Yeah, well, um, do you have any clothes to change into?" How long was he staying? I needed to ask but I was almost afraid of the answer.

He shrugged. "They're with Emmett. I'll be okay."

Well that sucked. Oh, wait, Rose still had a few things of Royce's. "I've got it! Rose still has some of Royce's stuff. I think it would fit you."

He smiled. "I'm wearing a t-shirt under this, so maybe just some pants or shorts?" I nodded and hurried to Rose's room. I couldn't stand to be away from him too long. I went through her athletic drawer and found the black shorts he used to stroll around in. Rose kept them because they were his favorites. At least she hadn't thrown them away.

I came in and tossed him the shorts which he caught easily. "Will that work?"

"Sure."

"Okay, I'm just gonna go…" I pointed at my bathroom. Why I couldn't say I was going to the bathroom was beyond me. I needed to wash off the make-up and get out of these clothes.

"I'll be fine." Fine? He was fine. The finest man I'd ever seen. I laughed and hurried to the bathroom. The dress was off in seconds. Should I wear my underwear? I never did to bed. But what if we did stuff? Better on or off? Off. Screw it. I pulled on the pajama pants and my t-shirt. I wasn't going to wear a bra to bed either. Why was it that girls on TV and in the movies always had a bra on when they were making out with some guy in bed? Oh my God, was I going to be making out with Edward in my bed? Yes, I hoped so. My face was flushed and I splashed it with water. I needed to calm down.

I brushed my teeth and hair, and then pulled it up in a ponytail to get it out of my, or his, way. I finished up and opened the door, finding him sitting on my bed in a plain white t-shirt and those black shorts. He was so damn sexy it took everything I had in me not to just jump him. What was wrong with me?

His phone beeped and he looked at it, grinning widely.

What was that about? "Why are you smiling like that?"

"Because you're gorgeous and my brother's an idiot."

Gorgeous? In my t-shirt and purple pj's? I never knew he had a vision problem. I sat next to him. "In this?"

His fingers traced my arm and I shivered. It was hard to believe he was touching me. "I think you're forgetting I've seen you in this shirt and nothing else. It might be my favorite article of clothing you own."

Ha, I could think of a few things I might wear to get him going. I should go shopping with Rose soon. "Oh, I think I can find something you'll like better."

"Um, Bella, I'm trying very hard to be a gentleman here." He shifted and I wondered if he was getting hard. I should find out. Wait. I was going to be good. Right.

"I'm sorry." I sort of was and sort of wasn't. It was truly amazing that one, he was here, and two, he still wanted me after everything that had happened. I couldn't help but revel in it. "What did your brother have to say?"

He shot me that sexy half-smile of his. "He made some assumptions about me staying here and being in your room the whole time. He wants to know where Rose is."

"Rose? She went out with Ang and Jess but I don't know where they were going."

"That's probably a good thing. I think he'd go looking for her if he knew where she was."

Ha, it seemed her crush wasn't so one-sided. "Really? She'll like that."

"Is that so?"

Hmm, maybe I said too much. "You can't tell him." He nodded. "Rose has had a crush on him for a long time. She loves bad boys." Edward made an adorable noise. "When I figured out that I had you for sure, well, she told me to tell you to hook her up with Emmett."

He swirled my hair through his fingers. I wanted to purr because it felt incredible. "I don't think I have to do that. He saw her picture and got hypnotized or something. Plus he liked the way she yelled at him. Well, she thought she was yelling at me."

Of course she yelled. "I told you she was scary."

He pulled my ponytail gently. "I'm counting on you to protect me."

Hmm, this could be fun. "I might."

"You might?" Was he pouting? I wanted to bite his sexy lips.

"Yeah, well, we'll see how you do on our date." A little bribery never hurt anyone.

He grinned. "What do I have to do win protection?"

I giggled and stood to get the movie. "If I tell you, that negates everything. You'll have to figure it out yourself. Now, what movie did you want to watch?"

He shrugged. "Nothing of mine." Ha, as if I would suggest that. It might set us back after everything. "I was going to suggest _Dazed and Confused_ but…"

Yes! "I've got it!" That was easy. I ran into the living room and grabbed it from our DVD collection.

He smiled when I came back into the room. "That's what I love about these college girls. I get older, they stay the same age." He was dead on as Wooderson and I laughed so hard I was almost crying. I loved that he changed it to college girls from high school girls in tribute to me.

"Slight amendment to the original, huh?"

"Well, you are a college girl." He smiled slyly.

I shook my head. He was too cute, on top of being too sexy and perfect and wonderful and every other good thing that existed. "And Wooderson was probably older than you are now hitting on those high school girls. So wrong."

He chuckled while I put the movie in and turned on the TV. "Yeah, but he had the best lines."

I could quote him too. I turned from the TV and smirked at him. "Say man, you got a joint?"

His smile got wider. "No, not on me man."

"It'd be a lot cooler if you did." My Wooderson accent was nowhere near as good as his but he laughed anyway.

"You might just be my perfect woman." Oh, I could be. I don't know how it's possible, but it feels right.

I moved over to the bed and put the pillows up so we could sit against them. "I am." I patted the bed to indicate where I wanted him. "Let's sit up here. I'm gonna get the lights."

He sat against the headboard while I flipped off the light and hurried back to him. I sat next to him and he immediately put his arm around me. Maybe he really couldn't stop touching me. I loved it. "That's one point for you."

He smirked. "Should I have done the yawn and stretch?"

Hell no. That was a Newton move. "No, that would have been minus points. I'd let Rose get in a punch for sure."

He poked me as the movie started to play. "You won't let her punch me."

Of course not but he didn't need to be so sure, yet. "Well, if she does, I promise to kiss it better."

"Anywhere she punches? Because my brother said she threatened…" I elbowed him and he wisely stopped talking. Not that I wouldn't kiss him there. I totally would. And Rose damn well better not injure that area of his body at all. I needed it.

"Anywhere, though maybe not right away."

He snickered. "I doubt I'd want you to kiss certain places right away after I got hit."

I laughed. "I imagine not." I had to make sure he knew it was all okay, so I looked at him. "She won't hurt you. You're here and I'm happy. That's all she really wants."

"Good. That's all I want, too." I moved closer to him and he held me tighter. I tried to focus on the screen.

"Did you ever make a bong in shop class?" Somehow I couldn't picture it but Slater killed me.

He laughed. "No. I never took shop class. And I never did drugs, either."

Another thing we had in common. "Me either. Alice got high a couple years ago and was beyond annoying. No thank you."

"Emmett dabbled but Mom lowered the hammer on him. She'll tolerate the bar fights and speeding tickets but no drugs for her boys."

I loved how he talked about his mom. "She really does scare you."

"Hell yes. She was also in favor of me coming to talk to you, by the way."

His mom was on board? I loved that. "I think I like her."

"I know she'll like you."

I blushed and tried to watch the movie. A young Ben Affleck appeared on the screen and I decided to ask him what it was like to watch people he knew. "Is it weird for you?"

"What?"

"You know some of these guys, don't you? Is it ever weird to watch them act?"

He shrugged. "Sure, I know Ben and Matt, Parker, Adam and a few others. But no, it's a movie and I watch it as such. Plus, this came out before I was in Hollywood, so I loved it before I even got there. It's weird to watch myself though. I don't do it often."

That made sense. I doubted I'd ever be able to watch myself on screen. Home videos of Dad's made me squirm.

"Do you know what you're doing this summer? Do you have classes or what?" Edward was watching me with interest.

Nothing exciting, but I was glad to be taking a little time off before grad school. "Well, I was probably going to go home, work at my dad's station for the summer."

"Mmmm." What I wanted to do was spend any time I could with him but I didn't want to be presumptuous. It was time to ask though.

"Hey, Edward? How long are you here for?"

He touched the side of my neck and I felt like a live wire was connected to my skin. "We have to head back on Monday morning. I have a meeting with my agent Tuesday."

A whole other day? I loved it. "So we have all day tomorrow?"

"All day and all night, if you like."

"I like. Very much."

He smiled. "Me too." He toyed with my hair again. "You know, Emmett didn't cancel the cabin."

Really? We could still go? "He didn't?"

"No. He had faith that we'd work things out."

"Hmmm, well we did." Somehow, some way, we had. I still couldn't believe it.

"So do you still want to go?"

I sat up and faced him. I wanted to more than anything but he'd already driven over a thousand miles for me. "Yeah. I mean, if you want to. I know traveling up here like this was unexpected so if you have stuff you need to…"

He kissed me and this time I couldn't resist. His lips were just insanely addicting. I straddled him and felt him so hard underneath me. I moaned and rubbed myself against him, creating friction I needed to feel. He gripped my waist and pulled me against him as he thrust below me. We did that for several minutes and then he pulled away. I pouted at him.

"I thought I was supposed to be a gentleman?"

He was right. I sighed and started to move back to my spot but he held me still and moved his legs apart. "Come here." I crawled between them, leaning back against his chest. God he felt good. He kissed my ear and I shivered. Of course he knew my weak spot. "We have all night, all tomorrow and tomorrow night and all Spring Break. I want to go, Bella."

He did! "You do?"

He laughed. "Hell yes." Oh, there it was. One of the kids was getting paddled. I couldn't help but think of Edward and spanking and I felt myself blushing. "What are you thinking?" Of course he noticed.

"Uh, nothing?" He laughed and squeezed me.

"Does it turn you on a little bit?" He nibbled on my earlobe. That turned me on too.

"Maybe a little. But not like that. That would hurt." No boards coming near this ass, thank you very much.

His hands moved down my side and he skimmed sides of my ass. "I promise I would never hurt you. I told Ben he had entirely too much fun in that scene and it was clear his character had rage issues brought on by his obvious homosexuality."

I always thought O'Bannion was gay. I laughed hard. "What did he say to that?"

He snorted. "He admitted it was probably true." He brushed my hair aside and kissed the right side of my neck. It felt incredible and I moaned. "How am I doing on the date scale?"

You're perfect, of course. "Pretty good." My boy appeared on screen and I grinned. "Wooderson!"

"Alright, alright, alright." I laughed as he quoted him verbatim.

"You've seen this movie entirely too much," I pointed out. Not like I hadn't.

"Yeah, but that's a good thing," he told me.

I turned my head so I could see him. "Why is that?"

He touched my jaw. "Because then I don't miss anything when I do this." And then he was kissing me again, not that I was about to complain. It was the best thing ever, despite our weird angle. He tugged me around so that I was sitting on his lap sideways. I put my arms around his neck and then we were full on kissing again. His tongue was so talented. I couldn't wait to feel it other places.

His hands moved over me and his fingers traced lightly over the sides of my chest. Fuck the movie. I moaned and straddled him. His thumbs moved of my nipples and I thrust against him again.

"Fuck, Bella," he murmured, not moving his lips from my skin. I was tugging on his silken hair and he moved down my neck, kissing and sucking lightly. Jesus, he was driving me insane. He began to play with my nipples and I was moaning like a well-paid whore but I couldn't stop myself.

"Mmm, I believe you promised to do that." Yes, that did come out of my mouth. I wanted to fuck him. I wanted to do everything we'd teased one another with and then some. I wanted to be good, too, but it didn't seem like that was possible.

"Edward!" I choked out his name as his teeth nibbled on my neck. His hands moved down to my shirt and he lifted it and touched my stomach. He may be a gentleman, but I wasn't. I grabbed his shirt and pulled on it. He sat back to help me and dear God, there he was, shirtless, on my bed, looking sexy and rumpled and turned on. I licked my lips as I debated all the places I wanted to kiss and suck on his perfect body.

"Good God, you're sexier in person."

He laughed. "I'm glad you think so." I traced his chest and abs. How many years had I looked at them in pictures and on screen and wanted to touch them? Now I was and it was even better. It should be illegal for him to be hotter in person, but he was.

"By the way, so are you." I loved that he thought so. I smiled and moved to take my own shirt off. Fair was fair.

I heard a door bang and quickly dropped my shirt. I knew who that was and there was no way she wasn't going to check on me. Why didn't I lock the door? Oh yeah, cause she'd break in anyway. My door burst open.

"So, did you fall asleep during the appetizers or did you make it all the way to the main course?" Rose stopped in the doorway and I waited for her to process what she was seeing. "Holy fucking shit, you brought him home?" She looked again. "What the fuck? Bella? Is that Edward?"

"Um, yes," I told her. I slid off Edward's lap and made introduction as calmly as I could under the circumstances. "Rose, this is Edward. Edward, this is Rose."

He waved at her and Rose's eyes narrowed and she took a step into the room. "What are you doing here?"

I tried to position myself between them as Edward ran a hand through his hair. "Um, my brother and I drove up so I could talk to Bella."

"Yeah, you look like you're talking." I glared at her but she only had eyes on Edward. Then again, he was half dressed.

"Rose, we talked. I apologized, he apologized, it's all good."

She looked at me. "What happened to your date?" I saw Edward flinch out of the corner of my eye. It still floored me that he was jealous.

I put a reassuring hand on his knee. It was him I wanted and he had to know that. "I went, it was awkward, and he saw right through me and brought me home." I grinned at Edward. "Alice was here when I got home and she asked me a ton of questions about Edward. It turned out he was sitting in my bedroom listening to it all. I came in and we talked and well, we're obviously doing fine."

"Obviously," she replied dryly. "Alice made nice?"

That she did. It still amazed me. "Yeah, I guess. She was a little hostile but we both apologized."

"That's good. God this is weird. I came home early expecting to find you bored or crying, not making out with a shirtless Edward Cullen." Edward put his shirt back on much to my disappointment. Not that I blamed him. The mood had been effectively ruined.

"Don't cover up on my account!" Rose said with a laugh. I glared at her.

I squeezed his knee and gave him what I could. "It wasn't how I thought my night was going to go either but I'm really glad it did."

Rose smiled at me and then gave Edward her most intimidating look. "Did you apologize for making her cry and calling her a stalker?"

"Yes."

I couldn't let her start with him. "Rose, quit it. I was sort of a stalker. Not the scary kind that you need to get a restraining order against…" Wait a minute, did he? "Did you get a restraining order?"

He laughed and pulled me back into his arms. "No. I didn't have much opportunity to do anything before Emmett had me on the road."

"That prick," Rose muttered. "Where is he? Why couldn't he inform me that you were coming? I could have stopped Bella from going out with Colin instead of monitoring the phone and mail like a fucking weirdo for two days." So that's why she'd been so crazy the past couple of days. I'd thought she was waiting on some spectacular sex toy or something.

Edward sighed. "Emmett does what Emmett wants to do. I didn't have any input either. One minute we're test driving his new Venom and the next…"

Rose let out a little scream. "Did you say Venom, as in, Hennessy Venom?" She swayed on her feet and caught my door knob. "Your brother is here driving that?"

"Um, yeah."

"Fuck me. How am I supposed to hold out against a hot man and a hot car?" Rose was in major trouble. I fought not to laugh. "Where is he now?"

"Uh, he's probably at a hotel. I told him I was staying here…"

"Oh you did, did you?" Rose eyed him balefully.

"Yes. He's staying with me." I rubbed his muscular thigh. "We're good, Rose. Really."

She focused on me and smiled again. "That's all I want for you, Bella."

"I know." And that's why I couldn't be mad at her attempts at intimidation. She wanted to take care of me.

"How long are you here for?" she asked Edward. She sounded much more pleasant now.

"Until Monday morning."

"And when will your brother be back?" she asked.

I felt his chest move. "He'll be over sometime in the morning. He has my clothes and stuff. Plus he wants to meet Bella. And you."

Rose smirked. "I just bet he does. Okay, I'll be ready." She turned to leave. "As you were." Edward laughed. Rose paused. "Bella, you do realize you went out with one guy and ended up in bed with another guy entirely."

I blushed. It was very unlike me. "Yes."

"I'm damn proud of you," she told me. Of course she was. She closed my door and Edward sagged beneath me.

"Sorry." I turned to look at him and he shook his head.

"Don't be. I don't have a scratch on me, at least."

"She's protective."

"I know. Emmett will love it, believe me. I wonder what she has in store for him."

"God only knows." I bit my lip. "Sorry we got interrupted." I was. But we had time, right?

He held my chin. "It's okay. We said we were going to have a movie date and we kinda went well beyond that anyway, didn't we? I copped more than one feel."

Oh yeah. "Yes you did."

"You liked it."

There was no denying it. "Very much."

"Maybe I'll cop some more then."

I sure hope so. "Maybe you will." He tugged me back against his chest and I relaxed against him.

"There's no rush, though, honestly. I want you, yes, but I can wait."

It seemed like we were on the same wavelength. "It's just weird, you know? We've been together for all of a couple of hours, but we know each other so well and I want you so bad and…"

"I get it," he replied. "Let's just take it easy tonight and see what happens tomorrow. I wasn't lying when I said that I would be quite content just to hold you and kiss you a little bit. This is so much more than I hoped for when I got here."

I smiled up at him. "You're definitely an improvement on my night."

He laughed. "That's a good thing." I kissed him softly this time, just a thank you for being here and wanting me type kiss.

I grinned at him. "A very good thing."

Oh, my favorite part was on. As awesome as Wooderson's quotes were, Clint had the best one. "This is actually the best line."

He said it with me. "I only came here to do two things, man. Kick some ass and drink some beer. Looks like we're almost out of beer." I laughed hard as we ended it at the same time.

"Clint reminds me of Rose," he told me. That only made me laugh harder.

"She could totally rock that role." He moved my hair to my left side and kissed my cheek.

"I knew watching this movie with you would be fun."

I laughed. Who'd have thought two days ago we'd be here together like this? "And this is way better than over the phone."

"Hell yes," he agreed. He squeezed me and I linked my fingers with his.

"Thank you for coming for me, Edward." I had to thank him. "You could have just walked away without another thought of me. I sort of deserved that after I deceived you and then yelled at you for nothing."

He kissed the side of my head. "No. I couldn't have walked away. I could have tried but I would have failed, even without my brother pushing me. I, you…you got me, Bella. You just got me and curiosity, the need to know if what we had was real, would have gotten me here eventually. I'm just lucky my brother is more impatient than I am."

"Remind me to give Emmett a big hug when I meet him tomorrow." I owed him more than that. Hopefully Rose would pay up for me.

He laughed. "Don't worry, he'll take one whether you offer it or not."

"I wonder what Rose is going to do to him." It was kind of scary to think about.

"I'd rather not worry about those two, if it's alright with you."

"Okay." That was their problem. I leaned back into him and rested my head on his chest.

"So, Bella, was this an okay first date?"

I smiled up at him. "A phenomenal one, once I got home."

He shot me a mock glare. "You know, I should totally not put out since you went out with some other guy first."

Oh,was that how he was going to play it? "Alright, if that's how you feel." I turned away from him until he started tickling me. "Uncle!" I shouted and he finally stopped. "I'm sorry." Time to be truthful. "I do wish I could take it back. I was trying to be more like Rose and less like me. It didn't really work for me."

"Just be you, Bella. That's the girl I want."

His words, as always, were just what I needed. "That I can do."

"Good." He ran his finger over my lips. "My girl." Was I dreaming again? No, even I wouldn't dare dream this. Nothing could be better than Edward telling me I was his girl.

"Yours."

"Damn right." He kissed me again. This is where I was meant to be and who I was meant to be with. I don't know how I got so lucky that he came to me after everything that had happened, but I wasn't going to lose him again. He was mine and I was his. The way it should be.

* * *


	31. The Heat Is On

It wasn't a dream, I was sure of it. I'd never had a dream that was so detailed, so perfect, so…amazing. Every touch, every kiss, every word he spoke repeated in my mind as I reveled in the feel of a warm body against mine. His warm body. Edward was here, holding me in his arms. For the first time in my life, reality surpassed fantasy. My own mind could never have done last night justice.

Soft lips moved against the back of my neck and I moaned and inadvertently pushed back against him. I knew we'd made the right decision not to have sex last night, but that didn't make it easy when he was hard against my ass. I giggled at the sound he made in response.

"You're mean," he whispered as his teeth nibbled on my ear. God that felt good.

I laughed at him implying I was a tease when he was kissing me and I felt his obvious interest in more than just a cuddle. "You're the one taunting me with Eddie Junior back there."

His lips moved over my neck and his laugh tickled me. "Oh, I'd gladly stop taunting you and let you have at him if you so desired."

As if I didn't desire it. "This is hard, isn't it?"

"I'll say so." He sounded sour and I had to laugh. I hadn't meant it like that!

"Not that, you perv." I turned around and he touched my face softly, like he couldn't believe I was there in front of him. Neither could I.

His smile was super sweet but his eyes were laughing at me. "Whatever did you mean then?"

He was so damn cute. "I mean, knowing what to do. I feel like we're in this state of in-between." Do I just attack you now? Do I let you go home and wait until next week? I couldn't wait any longer than that, that was for damn sure.

His thumb moved over my face and I felt tingles all through me. I closed my eyes to enjoy the sensation. "Bella, let's just do what feels right." Before I could tell him that what felt right was just letting go and taking him, his stomach growled loudly.

I took in his embarrassed expression and grinned at him. "I guess that right now I should feed you then."

He actually pouted. "Well, I haven't eaten since lunchtime yesterday but…"

Holy crap! I should have fed him. Why didn't I feed him? "Shit. Why didn't we eat last night?"

He shot me a look. "One of us did, on her other date."

I heard it in his tone. He hated that I'd been out with Colin. It was almost flattering, though I wish I could take it back. I touched his nose. "For your information, I only had a couple of bites of appetizers. And, for the record, you're cute as hell when you're jealous."

The next thing I knew, I was on top of that hard body and staring down into his impossibly handsome face. "You like that, do you?"

Well, yeah. Who wouldn't like knowing this man wanted them? "Kinda, sorta, maybe."

His eyes glinted at me. "Well, then, yes, I'm jealous that he got to take you out before I got here. Did he touch you?"

How many times did I have to tell him? Oh, well, there was that little hand on my back thing but that was nothing. "What?" he asked sharply, seeing my hesitation.

"He touched the small of my back when we were going into the building." He glared at me and I had to kiss him but then I remembered that I hadn't brushed my teeth yet and broke it off. "Morning breath, ew."

He rolled us over and held me down, grinning. "I'll breathe all over you if you don't tell me everything."

I giggled and tried to break his hold but he was way stronger than I was which was seriously fucking hot. "I told you! He touched my back and I jumped about a mile to get away from him. I'm surprised he even continued the date at that point."

Edward's hand slid underneath my back and he touched me where Colin had. Seriously sexy. His eyes burned into mine. "Of course he continued the date. Did you see how beautiful you were last night? I'd have given anything to be the one sitting across from you at some restaurant." I heard the sadness in his voice and had to calm him.

I felt myself tearing up as I touched his jaw. "I wish you had been." I put my other hand up and held his face between mine. He had to know that last night was so much better. It was perfect. "But spending last night with you, here, was way better than dinner at a fancy restaurant. I wouldn't give that up for anything."

He kissed me, his lips devouring mine and I stopped worrying about things like morning breath. I slid my arms around him and held him tight. Then his stomach reminded me that I'd been neglectful. "You need to eat."

"Yeah." Another softer kiss. "I want to be the guy taking you out to fancy dinners, Bella."

God, he could kill me with just a few words. "I want you to be that guy, too."

He got up and pulled me into a sitting position. "I'd take you out tonight but the press might get wind of things and…"

I had to stop him. I more than understood. It was too early. Plus, I wanted him to myself. I'd share him the world eventually if he wanted but not now. This was our time. "It's fine. I want to be with you, Edward. We can hole up here all day and I'll be perfectly content. I'd rather stay in our little bubble before reality comes crashing in."

He smiled sadly. "I'm going to talk to Kate when I get back, figure out how we should handle things. I don't want the press beating down your door, Bella. I'll do everything I can to protect you from that but at the same time…" he broke off and grimaced.

"What?" I'd do anything he asked. If he wanted me to stay a secret, well, I'd do it for him. It might hurt but he was worth it.

"But at the same time I want the whole world to know about you." He did? How was it he always managed to surprise me? Here I thought he wanted me to be a secret and he wanted everyone to know about me.

"You do?"

"Of course. You're my girl, right?"

His girl. I couldn't believe it. "You want me to be?"

He laughed that smooth, rich, sexy sound I couldn't get enough of. "Isn't that obvious?"

Not really. He was Edward Cullen, superstar. It was mindboggling. "I didn't want to presume. I mean, it's so soon and you're you and…"

"I'm me," he cut in. "A dork who loves _He-Man, Star_ _Wars_ and _Words with Friends_ who happens to be famous. The fame doesn't define me, Bella."

I twined his hand with mine. I hadn't meant to upset him. "I know that, Edward. I just don't know what your agent and your people and the press will do or say."

He kissed my knuckles. "Let me worry about that. But not today."

Yeah, today let's just be Edward and Bella. And eat, of course. "No, today let's worry about food."

He stood and helped me to my feet. "Bathroom break first."

I giggled. Now that he mentioned it, I had to go bad. "Me first." I heard his laughter following me as I went into the bathroom ahead of him.

I brushed my teeth and hair. I stared at my reflection in the mirror to see if I looked any different but I was still me and somehow that was enough for Edward. God it felt good.

I pulled the extra toothbrush I'd bought a month ago when they were two for one out of my drawer and got out a towel from underneath my cabinet for him to use. I came out to find Edward smiling at his phone. "I have an extra toothbrush, so at least you can use that. When's your brother coming over?"

He looked up at me. "He'll be over soon. He's going to bring donuts. What do you like?"

Donuts! Good, I wouldn't have to cook, not that that was a problem but this was easier. "Apple fritters!"

His smile turned predatory. "Apples, huh, teach?" I felt my cheeks heat. Apples indeed. "I'll give you your apples." I blew out a breath and went to the kitchen to turn on the coffee. I smiled over at the bowl of apples on the dining room table and grabbed one.

I entered my bedroom and grinned at him. "What?" he asked. I tossed the apple at him and he caught it, laughing. "An apple for me? I thought I had to ply you with them."

I joined him. "Well you do, eventually. But we're being good right now, right?" Unfortunately.

"Yeah, I suppose." He polished the apple on his shirt. "Do you know what kind of donuts Rose and Alice like? Emmett's buying."

That was easy. "Rose likes those Boston cream and Ali's a glazed girl."

He threw the apple back to me and turned to his phone. "Hold that for me." He texted their likes to his brother. "That outta do it. I'm going to brush my teeth now." His phone beeped.

He snorted at whatever his brother replied. "What are you laughing at?"

"My brother's being a pervert."

That was a shocker. "Runs in the family. Can I see?" He gave me the phone and I saw his reply about having cream for Rose. Gross. Funny, but gross. I laughed hard. "I think he's worse than you are."

Edward gave me a haughty look. "I'll have you know I'm a much classier pervert than he is." He walked past me as I started laughing harder.

"That's a matter of debate," I told him, though it really wasn't. He was a classy pervert. My classy pervert.

Suddenly he was pinching my ass. "Edward!"

He shot a sexy ass smirk over his shoulder as he reached the bathroom door. "Just living up to my good perverted name."

"We'll see about that later," I told him as he laughed and shut the door. Damn him. So sexy.

I changed and decided to straighten up my room a little, picking up Edward's clothes and folding them, then making my bed. I sat and waited for him to reappear.

He came out of the bathroom and smiled at me. "I could have helped with that."

I couldn't lie to him. "I never make it. I totally did it because you're here."

He laughed and pulled me off the bed, giving me a hard, smacking kiss. "You don't need to put on airs for me, baby."

I had to grin. "Well I just figured I'd straighten it up so we could mess it up later."

He looked stunned and turned on. I thought about messing it up with him already but the doorbell rang.

"Emmett," he made it sound like a curse.

I smiled and linked our fingers, then pulled him toward the door. I wanted to meet his brother and I sure needed to thank him for bringing Edward to me.

"I think you're a little too excited for the wrong Cullen," he told me.

I laughed as I unlocked the door. "Actually, I'm all about the donuts. Handsome Cullens are a dime a dozen." He pinched my butt just as I opened the door.

"Ass," I called to him as I smiled at Emmett.

His dimples winked as he smiled at me. "Well, I won't lie and claim I haven't been called that before, but usually a girl gets to know me a little before she calls me that."

Edward laughed and held on to me as we let his brother pass. "She's bright and calls 'em like she sees 'em."

"Shut up." I smacked Edward's hard chest and turned to Emmett. "I was calling Edward an ass."

"I thought you were asking me to touch your ass," he responded, giving me a child-like smile.

Emmett laughed hard as he put down the donuts. "He is an ass. You're right, bro, she is bright." He pulled me away from his brother and hugged me tightly. "Hi, Bella! It's great to finally meet you."

I laughed and hugged him back. "It's nice to meet you. I guess I have you to thank for bringing the ass up here."

"Hey, I'm right here!" Edward reminded us, scowling.

Emmett laughed and let me go. "Yes, I brought the asses' ass up here for you. I trust that he hasn't been too much of an ass? I could hit him for you if you like." Edward shot us both a look as he opened the donuts. "Be careful, that'll go right to your ass," Emmett told him giddily.

I laughed and cuddled into Edward. His chocolate donut looked good. "Can I have a bite?"

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Would an ass share his donut?"

Damn right he would. "Yes, if he wanted to get some action later." He gave me the rest of his donut without a word and I laughed triumphantly.

"Damn, she's good! I like you. Welcome to the family." Emmett told me, giving me a love tap on the back. He grabbed a donut and devoured it in one or two bites tops.

What did he mean by that? "The family?"

Edward gave Emmett a look I couldn't read. "Yeah, you're his girl right? So, you're family."

"Oh." I guess that made sense. "Are all his girlfriends family?"

Emmett laughed and shook his head vehemently. "Hell no! Do you think I would have wanted Irina for a sister? She's an uptight princess. Just you, Bella."

I looked at Edward but he wasn't any help, just shrugging. "Okay, well, cool." Edward grabbed a fritter for me and I grinned at him.

He bent to my ear and whispered, "That counts as one apple."

I loved that. "Okay," I told him after I managed to swallow a bite. How I could do that when Mr. Sexy was turning me on with promises of apples was beyond me.

Emmett was looking the picture of us on the entertainment center. "Where are the other two?" he asked.

"Sleeping I guess." The fact that they weren't loitering around was surprising.

Emmett looked perturbed as he put the photo down and sat on the couch. "What's taking so long? It's ten."

Edward laughed as he grabbed another donut and sat in the recliner. I sat on the arm next to him but he pulled me into his lap, which was exactly what I'd hoped he'd do. I snuggled into him. "Not everyone gets up at six like you do, Em."

"Six?" That was an ungodly hour to get up.

"Yeah, I go to the gym for two hours every morning." He grinned. "You don't get to look like this by eating donuts every Sunday." He gestured at his tight black t-shirt and his bulging muscles.

Edward snorted. "You eat tons of crap, Emmett."

"I'll have you know I eat…"

"What do you eat?" came from the doorway and it took everything I had not to laugh when I saw my roommate in all her glory. Rose was in this shirt that I'd labeled indecent when she'd wanted to wear it to a club a couple of months ago with tight ass jeans and a leather jacket and boots. It wasn't her normal Sunday attire by any means. Edward looked at me and I bit my lip to keep from laughing.

Emmett turned to look at her and started to stutter. "I…I…"

Rose laughed and strutted sexily into the room. "I really hoped you were going to say something way more interesting than that." She patted him on the head and walked to the kitchen. "Coffee anyone?"

Jeez, she was the master and I was in awe. Emmett looked like a fish out of water, his mouth wide open and gasping for air. "I'll take a cup," I managed to force out, though it was getting hard to keep from giggling madly.

"Me too." I had to give Edward credit. As hot as my roommate looked, he wasn't focused on her at all. He was staring at me like I was the one dressed for sin or temptation instead of wearing comfortable jeans and a sweatshirt.

Rose handed us each a cup of coffee before getting herself a donut and sitting down next to Emmett on the couch. "Did you bring these?" He nodded, still gaping at her. "Thank you." She smiled and bit into the donut, moaning as she did so. Some of the cream squirted onto her lips and she made a big show of licking it off as she put her donut on a napkin on the coffee table. It was a stunning performance. I was worried that Edward's brother might have a heart attack.

"Fuck me," Emmett said or begged maybe? I lost it then and buried my face in Edward's neck to try to contain myself. I watched out of one eye. This show was too good to miss.

Rose smiled over at him. "I might have, if you would have told me what you were up to. More's the pity."

He gulped and sat up straight. "Hey, I got him here, didn't I? They're joined at the hip because of me!"

Rose seemed disinterested as she drank her coffee. "I made the call that got you on the road in the first place. If it wasn't for me, you'd probably still be sitting in your room trying to figure out how to fix things."

"Bullshit, I was nearly settled on my course of action before you called. I just needed to know Little Sister was on the same page as Eddie before I took action." Emmett was getting defensive but at least he was able to talk now I supposed. And Eddie? No, just no.

"I thought you were a man who acted first and thought later," Rose challenged him.

He looked angry now. "You don't know anything about me." Edward was as into their exchange as I was, not uttering a word as he watched in rapt fascination.

"Don't I?" she asked, leaving him to chew on that as she turned to me and Edward. "Did you two have a good night?"

I nodded, not wanting to remove my nose from Edward's comfortable neck. He smelled good even without a shower. "Yeah, we did," he answered for us.

Rose wrinkled her nose. "That's funny; I didn't hear any screaming coming from her room."

That did it! I sat up and glared at her. "Rose!"

Emmett chuckled beside her. "He's no brother of mine, apparently. Obviously he was adopted."

"Fuck off, Emmett," Edward snapped.

Rose turned back to Emmett. "You mean he actually acts like a gentleman and gets to know a girl before fucking her? I can see how that would be a foreign concept for you."

"Uh oh." She was going to lay into him now. Alice came out of her bedroom then and looked at all of us, taking in Rose and Emmett's battle positions last.

"Is this my living room or a National Geographic Special on the mating habits of American twenty-somethings?" she asked.

That was my friend Alice. She was back. I had to thank her so I got off Edward's lap and ran to hug her. "Thank you, Ali."

She held me tightly. "It was the least I could do. I'm just glad that everything worked out."

It worked out beyond my wildest dreams. I released her and beamed over at Edward. "Yeah, you could say that it did."

"Except they didn't bang," Rose inserted.

"Which apparently qualifies my brother for saint status," Emmett added.

"He's more saint than sinner," she sniped at him. And they were back at it.

"Listen, babe, don't tell me you don't prefer the sinners." Crap. Rose hated to be called babe.

"You don't know shit about what I prefer!" She was yelling. Edward looked at me and I shrugged.

Alice shook her head. "Thank God I have plans today."

Emmett smiled over at her. "Oh yeah? Are you going to watch a marathon of _Cougartown_ to learn how to get your boy toy all worked up?" Rose smacked him and he grunted.

Alice flipped him off. "Actually I thought I'd go start a bar fight. All the cool losers are doing it." No love lost between those two, apparently. I wondered how much time they'd spent together yesterday.

Emmett crossed his arms. "I haven't been in a fight in ages."

"If by ages you mean two months, then yeah, it's been ages." Alice rolled her gray eyes.

"You know, I brought you donuts but you can't have any now," Emmett told her.

She laughed and took one, undeterred by his glare. "Thanks, dickhead."

"You're welcome, harpy." They were grinning at one another now. I was done with trying to figure them out. I wanted to be back with my Edward. I walked over to him and he pulled me back into his lap.

"I have plans too," Rose cut in. What was this? Her Sunday plans usually included being in pajamas all day and watching movies or studying. It was what we all did.

Emmett bit and asked for me. "Plans, what plans?"

She smirked. "I'm going for a bike ride."

Emmett laughed. "Nice day for it. Gray and rainy. Enjoy pedaling through that."

"Do I look like I ride a ten speed?" she asked sarcastically.

Emmett looked her up and down and licked his lips. "No. You look like you ride way more interesting things." Wow. He might be as good as she was.

She gasped softly but then gave him a sultry smile. "Damn right I do. This guy I know just got a Ducati. He's going to take me out on it."

"Guy? What guy?" Emmett asked. His voice cracked a little.

"A friend." I wanted to laugh at how she said the word friend. It was more like she was saying lover or fuck buddy or something.

"I thought we were going to hang out today," Emmett told her.

"Um, why would you think that? It's not like you fucking told me you were going to be here," Rose told him, her eyes sparking with anger.

"This is fascinating," I told Edward.

"I know," he agreed. "I think they're either going to start punching each other or kissing soon."

I giggled, loving that we were on the same page. "Maybe both."

Alice was sitting in one of the dining room chairs watching and eating as well, her gray eyes wide.

"It was a surprise! I couldn't have you telling Bella and ruining things," Emmett informed Rose.

"Well, surprise, dipshit. I have a life and plans of my own. I'm not sitting around waiting for your plans to reveal themselves." Ha, she was really mad that he hadn't told her they were coming.

"What am I supposed to do all day?" he whined. "I don't want to sit around in a hotel or watching the lovebirds not have sex." What was all this fascination with mine and Edward's sex life?

"I have great faith that you can find something or someone to do," she told him.

Emmett glared at her. "I'm sure I can. Where are the sororities around here?" he asked me. Like I wanted to answer that?

Before I could, Rose laughed. "You would go for sorority girls."

"You would go for douches on motorcycles. Do you even know what a real machine feels like? A fucking Ducati. I have a Tomahawk at home and a Venom downstairs. I could take you for a better ride than that prick can!" His voice got progressively louder with each word.

"So why don't you then?" she demanded. So he did. He grabbed her and they were making out right there on the couch in front of all of us, devouring one another's faces. Rose wasn't fighting him, she was holding on to him just as tightly as he was her. All I could do was gape at them.

"Holy shit," Edward whispered. Alice was laughing her ass off over at the dinner table.

"How did that happen?" she asked.

Edward's shoulders moved. "Anger to heat, I guess."

They broke apart and stared at each other. Rose straightened her clothes. "I meant, why don't you take me for a ride in your car?" All the fight had gone out of her voice.

"I'll do that too," he told her, also no longer angry. "First you call whomever you had plans with and break them."

"Uh oh." Don't tell her what to do, Emmett. "Not good."

"Don't tell me what to do," she said, the heat coming back into her voice. See, not good!

"I'm not telling you what to do. I'm telling you what I will do if you break your plans." Good save, Emmett.

She titled her head and looked at him. "I want to drive it."

"No," he responded.

"Sam was going to let me drive his bike," she told him. Oh shit, she didn't say Sam did she?

"Sam?" Alice asked, and then started laughing. I could feel my face heating. Edward was staring at me trying to figure out my reaction. "You're going out with Sam?"

Rose sniffed. "I'm not sleeping with him. I just wanted a ride."

"Well, at least you could have driven just fine with him behind you. Nothing poking you in the ass!" Alice announced, and then started laughing so hard she was crying. I had to giggle, even if they were having fun at my expense.

"What's so funny about Sam?" Emmett asked irritably.

"Nothing," Rose said at the same time that Alice piped up with "Pinky peen!" I groaned.

Emmett looked much happier when he heard that. "Really? You were going to go out with a guy with teeny weenie? How cute is that? I'm afraid I don't carry any condoms that could accommodate him but I might have one of those dime rolls from a bank you could use." That actually wouldn't be too bad an idea. Poor Sam.

"I'm not sleeping with him," she replied, sounding pissed off again.

"Sounds like that's a good thing," he told her. "You wouldn't get off anyway."

"I don't need a man to get me off," she informed him angrily.

"No, but it's a lot more fun if you do." Emmett grinned at her. "So are you canceling on Short Sam or not?"

Rose sniffed. "I will, but for Bella." For me, huh? That was sweet but I didn't think so.

"For Bella?" He laughed. "What's she got to do with it?"

"Because, dummy, they need some privacy. They don't need you crying about being bored all day. I'll take you off their hands, because I'm nice." She was such a liar but I loved her for it.

He laughed, delighted. "You're a real humanitarian, Rosie." Oh, that was a new one.

"Don't call me Rosie," she ordered.

"Why not? I like it," he told her with a smile.

"How would you like it if I called you Emmie?"

"As long as it's some form of my name you're calling, I don't have a problem with it," he replied, giving her a sexy smirk.

"Hell." Alice stood up. "I'm going to meet my study group."

"Wait," Rose requested. "I need to talk to you and you in my bedroom." She pointed at Alice and then at me.

I figured I'd better see what she wanted. I sighed and kissed Edward. "Be right back." I left my perfect spot on his lap and followed Rose and Alice into her room. She shut the door and immediately threw up a fist in triumph.

"Did you see that?" she demanded.

Alice rolled her eyes. "Yes, Rose, we all saw you inhale one another's faces."

"We weren't inhaling faces," she replied irritably. "We were just kissing." She grinned. "God he's a fucking fantastic kisser. It's going to kill me not to sleep with him."

"You're not going to?" I asked in surprise.

"Hell no. Emmett's the type of guy that enjoys the chase. He gets the girl and then he's done. He's not going to be done with me until I'm done with him."

"You're going to spend a whole day with him and not hook up with him?" Alice shook her head in disbelief.

"I'm gonna try like hell. I won't lie, it'll probably be the hardest thing I've ever done. He's an amazing kisser. I wanted to throw him down and mount him right there on the couch."

"I could tell," Alice replied sarcastically. "We all could."

Rose eyed her. "Are you still pissed at me?"

Alice shrugged. Rose sighed and touched her arm. "Look, I am sorry I said what I said. I mean, you deserved it, but maybe I should have been more understanding."

Ali laughed. "You have an interesting way of apologizing."

Rose shrugged. "It's not my forte. For what it's worth, I wish we had included you with everything and I'm sorry I got so harsh."

Alice studied her and then looked at me. "You were protecting Bella. I get that. I used to be pretty good at that myself."

I smiled. "You still are."

"No, I wasn't but I'm trying to make up for that."

I took her hand. "You did, Ali. If you hadn't done that last night, I don't know that Edward and I would be alright today. He believes me now and that's because of you. I can never thank you enough for that."

Alice hugged me again. "I'm happy I could help."

I felt for her. It sucked that she was alone while Rose and I were hitting it off, in our own ways, with the Cullen brothers. "Did you call Jasper?"

Alice nodded. "He didn't answer so I left a message. Hopefully we'll hook up sometime today."

"I'm glad you called," I told her.

"Me too," Rose said. "He made you happy and that's really what it's all about."

"Is that what you call what Emmett did out there with you?"

Rose laughed. "No, I call that making me horny as hell. But I've got toys and fingers to get me through once I'm done with him today. And when he's earned it, I'll have Emmett's very large fingers, talented tongue and no doubt big cock to play with. It'll be worth the wait."

"Alright, then, why are we in here?" Alice asked.

"To talk about Edward and Bella of course! Spill! You two cannot stop touching each other. It would sicken me if it weren't so damn cute," Rose told me, sitting on her bed.

"Spill what? You interrupted us when we were about to possibly go too far."

Rose made a face. "Fuck. I'm sorry. I really thought you'd be upset about your night with Colin so I came home early. If dumbass had told me his plan, I would have left you alone, or at the very least I would have listened outside your door instead of barging in." She grinned at me as I kicked her with my sock-covered foot.

"It's okay, really. We…it was perfect anyway. We talked and laughed and kissed and cuddled. You're not kidding about the touching thing. I feel like I have to have my hands on him at all times. Much as I love you, I'd like to be back out there with him right now."

Rose laughed. "I get it and I love it. I'm truly happy for you."

"Me too," Alice said. "You deserve someone who makes you happy."

"We're…God, we're doing this. He's just so much better than I ever dreamed, you know? I had all these fantasies about him before I knew him, and even after, but this, this is so much better."

Rose grinned. "Good. So are you going to do him?"

I blushed. "Yeah, at some point. I know it's weird, because I want him like I want air to breathe, but I'm also just content to be with him. I have these two warring voices inside me. One saying jump him, another saying just take it slow and work on being a normal couple, if we can be."

"Nothing normal about you," Rose said. "You lusted after the guy for years, then you fell for him over the phone, and now you're face to face."

I laughed. "But shouldn't we do something normal?"

"If you want," Alice told me. "Do whatever makes you happy."

Doing Edward would make me very happy. But so did holding his hand and watching a movie. It was all so confusing.

Rose stood and hugged me. "No pressure, Bella. I just don't want you to over think it. If you want him, take him. If you want to wait until the cabin..." she broke off and pulled away. "Wait…are we going to the cabin?"

I smiled and she fist pumped again. "Yes! I will drive that man nuts with the shit I wear. We're going shopping after they leave."

I laughed. "I was hoping you'd say that." Then I remembered and turned to Ali. "Listen, you're invited to come with us."

Alice shook her head. "And be the proverbial fifth wheel? I don't think so, but thank you for including me. I'm going to go home and chill for the week. I think it'll be good for me."

"Are you sure?" I asked. "We could invite other people to come as well. I mean, we could ask Angela and Jess." I was very reluctant to do that but I would for her.

Alice snorted. "Please, you know Jess would stalk Edward's every move. I'm very sure. I'll even stop by your house and check out the Chief and his new girlfriend."

"He'd like that," I told her.

Rose went to her closet and rustled around. What was she doing? She came out with a box and grinned at me. "Here." She shoved the box in my hands and I looked at it and laughed.

"What the hell? Scrabble?"

"In honor of how you met. It's a little more personable than playing _Words_ against him on the phone. You can play strip Scrabble." I glared at her and she laughed. "Or you can play your sexy words and drive the boy wild. Oooh, maybe he'll push the Scrabble board right off the table or bed and take you right there."

"You've been watching too much porn," I told her but I had to admit the image wasn't a bad one at all. Yeah, I'd love it if he just swept the tiles all over the floor and took me. Maybe we could add that to the list.

"It's not porn, it's my wonderfully sexy imagination. I know yours is even better," Rose told me. "Just take the game and see what transpires. Play and kick his ass. What else are you planning on doing?" I shrugged because I didn't have any plans. I'd thought we'd be hanging out with everybody around us so that limited things. Now there was a whole world of possibilities in front of us.

"Thanks, I think."

She laughed. "Come on, Ali; let's take off for the day. Do you really have stuff to do or do you want to hang with me and Emmett?"

Alice laughed. "I'd rather wander the quad naked than spend the day with you and Emmett. No offense but I don't think you'd remember I was there the next time you're arguing leads to kissing. I need to hook up with my study group for real; part of the project is due this week."

Rose chuckled. "No offense taken, though you would be an excellent buffer." Alice snorted. "Alright, we'll get out of your hair. You have fun with Edward, be it clothed or naked. You know which I would prefer." She wiggled her eyebrows and I laughed and shook my head.

Rose opened the door and we found Emmett alone in the living room. He stood up and snapped a picture of me as I walked into the living room. He grinned. "Sorry, needed that for my mom. She wants to see you."

I frowned and patted at my clothes. "Like this? Where's Edward?"

"You look great," he told me. "He's in the shower." Edward was naked and in my bathroom. I gulped and Emmett laughed. "You two are made for each other. Ready to go?" he asked, turning to Rose.

"Yes, but I will be driving at some point today," she informed him.

"We'll see, Rosie. Depends on what else happens." He smirked at her.

"Dream on, Cullen. Let's go." Alice had her bag and headed out with a wave and a smile at me and an eyeroll at Rose and Emmett.

Emmett hugged me once more. "I've never seen my brother so happy. You're great for him. Have fun. Don't do anything I wouldn't do." He grinned at me. "That means the sky's the limit, by the way."

"Come on, sinner," Rose told him.

"Sinning's way more fun when two people are involved. I'll show you." He grinned and took Rose's hand. I noticed that she didn't pull away. She smiled and mouthed "he's all yours" at me.

The door closed the apartment was blessedly silent, except for the sound of running water in my bathroom. Edward was naked in my shower. Whatever should I do with him?


	32. Wordsward & Scrabbella

Right. Okay. I was alone with Edward. That was no big deal. If I had my way, I'd be alone with him a lot from here on out. I looked at the Scrabble box in my hands. Was it lame to ask him to play? Would I have the balls to play the sort of words that I liked to play against him?

The shower shut off so I gave it a couple minutes and went in to see what he wanted to do. Mental images of Edward drying off his wet body didn't calm me any. I needed a shower for more than one reason.

"Edward are you…" Holy shit! He was in a towel. He was standing in my bedroom in nothing but a towel and he was gorgeous. I wanted to lick him. I wanted to rip off his towel and throw him down on my bed and do everything we'd talked about and more.

"Uh, sorry," Edward stammered. "The bathroom's kinda small so I thought I'd get dressed in here." You can do anything you want in here, especially if you stay close to naked. Or get all the way naked. Jesus, I needed to calm down.

"Right. That's not a problem. I'll just…yeah." Just what? I had no idea. Edward was looking at me like I was a weirdo, which admittedly I was. But come on. He was nearly naked! Hasn't he seen himself? Doesn't he know what a sight like that could do to a girl?

He ran a hand through his wet hair and stared at me. "Bella, what did you need?"

That was a ridiculous question. I needed him, naked and touching me. "You?" I managed to ask. As if it was a question. Good God, was he hard underneath that towel? How I wanted to find out. That body. How was that body in my bedroom? How was that body in my bedroom not being molested by me?

He smiled. "I'm all yours."

Good God, he was lethal. I closed my eyes and tried to focus. Why had I come in here? Oh yeah, the shower. "I meant, I was checking to see if you were done with the shower so I could get a turn." Don't look at him again and you'll manage to get through until you can get in the shower and get some relief, Bella. I wanted him to relieve me though.

Edward laughed. "Well, you can see, or I guess at the moment you can't…" I opened my eyes and glared at him for making fun of me. How would he react if the situations were reversed? "Yes, the shower is all yours."

"Okay, then. I'll just…go." I practically ran into the bathroom because if I stood there for another second I'd probably make more of a fool of myself and melt to the floor. His hotness rendered me a babbling idiot. How embarrassing. I hoped I could get it together when he had clothes on. We'd been great so far. Amazing really. It was so easy to be with him, to touch him and to kiss him. I didn't remember feeling this comfortable around Tyler, certainly not in the beginning of our relationship. Edward and I just fit.

I turned on the water and smelled the manly scent of whatever soap he used. He smelled so good. I inhaled deeply as I stepped in the shower and let the water wash down on me. He'd been naked in here only minutes ago. God I wish I'd been with him. I hadn't had the balls to just join him in the shower though. Rose would have. Why couldn't I channel her at a good time instead of when I was being an over reactive idiot on Wednesday night?

I closed my eyes and let the water wet my hair. I wondered what it would feel like to have Edward shampoo me. Probably the best feeling in the world. Well, other than having him inside me. Shit. This was not good. There was no way on earth I was going to be able to spend the day with him alone without attacking him. We were supposed to be good, but I couldn't really remember why. What was the difference in having sex with him now or waiting five days until we got to the cabin? Because there was no way on earth I wasn't going to have sex with him at the cabin.

Rose was right. I needed to do what felt right and what felt right to me was being with Edward in every way. This was our time. We were alone. Who knew how much that would happen at the cabin? Between Emmett and Rose, I wasn't sure that we'd get left alone, unless they combusted and locked themselves in a bedroom. I could always hope.

I wanted Edward. I just had to figure out the best way to go about showing him. I didn't know if I was brave enough to just walk out of the bathroom in a towel and say, "Here I am big boy, have at me." That wasn't my style. No, I needed to be more subtle. Maybe Scrabble really was the answer. I could use the tiles to tell him what I wanted, to see if he wanted the same thing.

I felt that subtle pulling in my lower belly, that urge to touch myself, to relieve some of the tension that had been inside me since, well, since I walked into my bedroom and found the sexiest man in the world sitting on my bed. The fact that I'd been able to resist for something like sixteen hours was pretty incredible. I should be given an award for showing restraint. I didn't know quite how I'd done it so far. I wasn't going to settle for my own hand. Not when there were ten perfect fingers in the other room.

My hair was clean, but of course I needed to shave if I was possibly going to be touched by those perfect fingers. I shaved my legs and under my arms, though I barely needed it since I'd done all that crap yesterday. Still, I didn't want any stubble, even minor. I was not a waxing girl, despite Rose and Alice's protests that it didn't hurt, but I kept myself well groomed even though I'd had no reason to do so in months. I shaved carefully. I didn't want to miss a spot. That would be embarrassing.

Finally, I was hair free and smooth, so I shut off the water and dried off before putting on some lotion. I wondered if Edward had any with him, but then, he didn't need it if he didn't want it. I'd be more than happy to take care of that for him. I put on my best pair of underwear, the blue lace boyshorts and matching bra, and then put on some jeans a t-shirt. I couldn't go out there in something completely sexy since I wasn't sure if I had the balls to do what I wanted to do when faced with his gorgeousness.

He was laughing in the living room and I went out and found him on the phone. His face lit up when he saw me. God, would I ever get used to the way that he looked at me? I hoped he kept on looking at me just like that.

"Well, good thing we're not a couple, then." Was he talking about us? He motioned me toward him and I walked over to the couch and sat next to him. He slid his left arm around me. His nose came near my neck and I swear he smelled me.

He laughed. "The real story? That I went to help you look good in front of Demetri?" Demetri? Was he talking to Jane?

His fingers combed through my hair and I wanted to purr at how good it felt. "That would be a lie, since I'm not single, no thanks to you." Okay, that made me smile. He wasn't single because he was with me. I still couldn't believe it. He looked amazing in jeans and a black t-shirt. I might die if I ever got to be around him in suit or a tux like Jane had.

Edward rolled his eyes at whatever Jane said. "She saw your little performance on Wednesday night and it didn't go over too well." Yeah, because I overreacted and turned into a crazy person. I was so lucky he was here with me now.

He laughed again. "Well, that's a long story but she did know and everything blew up in both our faces."

I felt my heart sink a little but he squeezed me as if letting me know that everything was okay. "It's fine, Jane, really. It made us be honest with one another and I'm here with her now. We're great." We were great. We are great.

"Yes," Edward said in response to something Jane asked.

I smiled at the look of confusion on his face. He was so cute when he looked lost. "What? Why?"

Edward held his phone out to me. "Jane wants to talk to you."

What? She did? "Really?"

"Yes."

"Jane Turner?" Jane Turner wanted to talk to me, Bella Swan. And Edward Cullen is in my living room, touching me. My life has certainly done a 180 degree turn these days.

"No, the other Jane that you freaked out about." I poked him and he laughed at me. "Yes, would you talk to her please?"

Alright. I could talk to Jane Turner. She was just a person, just like Edward. No problem. "Hello?"

"Bella?"

"Yeah, this is Bella." I leaned my head on Edward's shoulder and his fingers caressed my side.

"This is Jane. I am so sorry about the other night. I asked Edward to help me out. He told me all about you in the limo and I knew better than to do what I did but I just couldn't stop myself. Edward's a great guy and he'd never cheat on you, especially not with me. I'm practically his sister."

She sounded so real and so nice. "I know. He explained."

"Ugh. I'm still sorry. I saw my ex with his bimbo and I just reacted. I admit I took Edward to make myself look good, but I never intended to make it look like we were together."

"Yeah, I've been there too. My ex cheated on me. I suppose if I knew a guy like Edward I would have definitely paraded him in front of his face."

"Parade me now, baby," he whispered. I giggled as I imagined us stolling past Tyler and his pregnant wife.

"It was all my fault! I'm so sorry that I made things bad for you."

No, Jane, you were just the catalyst for me to unleash my crazy. "No, it wasn't your fault. I jumped to conclusions and instead of talking to him; I went off like a crazy person."

"Please, we all go crazy now and then. I burned all of Demetri's stuff and then I went on some websites and posted that he was bad in bed. Have you seen all those sites about me and Edward on the net?"

"Yeah, but I should have stayed the hell away from the web." That had only served to incite me further.

"Tell me about it. Do you know there's websites referring to me and Edward as Janeward? What the hell kind of couple name is that?"

A terrible one. I laughed. "Janeward? That's stupid. I don't get that name mishmash thing anyway. It's just lazy journalism, if you can call the tabloids journalism."

"Never. They're trash. Anyway, I don't want to interrupt your time with Edward. I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am and that I'm happy you two are alright. He really cares about you."

Yeah, I knew he did. "Please, it's fine. We're fine." I looked at the beautiful man next to me. "Better than fine."

"I'm so glad. He deserves a good woman and it sounds like he found one."

I kissed Edward's cheek. "Yeah, he's the best."

"He's crazy about you. Take good care of him!"

"Okay, thanks Jane."

I gave Edward the phone. "Janie?"

"Bella's amazing," he replied. I felt my cheeks heating. "Count on it. Talk to you soon, Janie."

Edward ended his call. "So, that was Jane."

I nodded. "She seems really nice. I'm sorry for the things I thought about her." I'd called her a whore, hadn't I? That was terrible. She didn't deserve that.

Edward chuckled. "Don't be. I'm not sorry for what I thought about Colin."

I giggled at his jealousy and kissed him. "You crack me up."

"Good. Now, we have the place to ourselves." Yep, all alone. Could I do it? "What would you like to do?"

My cheeks got hotter. I was going to go for it, my way. "How about play Scrabble?" I asked.

"Scrabble?" He sounded surprised and looked it as well.

I chewed on my lip. "Well, it's sort of how we met, you know? We could play _Words_ but that would be less interactive. It could be fun, don't you think?"

Was he disappointed? I couldn't tell. "Sure baby, let's play."

I couldn't contain my smile as I got off the couch and offered him my hand. I pulled him to his feet and led him into the dining room. "Planning this, were you?" he asked as I got out the board. We both got busy turning over tiles.

"Hmm, I thought it could be fun." Fun and suggestive, if I could do it. I was going to do it; I just hoped I didn't die of embarrassment first. I was on perma-blush now and I couldn't meet his eyes.

Edward sat down next to me. I kept my tiles angled away from him and debated what word I could make. Two E's, an L, an N, a D, a K and an A awaited me. I saw what I could do and I'd be throwing down the gauntlet right away. Well, no point in hiding my motives.

"Can I go first?" I asked him. What was with these nerves all of a sudden? This was me and Edward. We fit.

"Be my guest," he told me. I felt his eyes on me but didn't meet his gaze as I bit my lip and put it down. NAKED. Double word score, not that I had any intention of keeping score right about now. I glanced over at Edward who was gaping at me. I felt my face getting hotter.

There was a long pause before he finally spoke. "Uh, double word score, nice."

I shrugged. This was it. "I'm not keeping score."

Would he understand what I was doing? Would he play along or slip me something like TUNA? If he did, I could tone it down and play a regular game. Edward studied his tiles for a minute and then he played the word MOAN off of NAKED. He got it. Thank God. I couldn't stop myself from making a little noise and his eyes flew to me.

"Bella? Are you okay? Did I misunderstand the…"

"No, you got it," I interrupted him. I didn't want him to think he misread me. I just needed to get myself under control.

My tiles weren't great but I could make the word MELT, which seemed all too appropriate since he made my bones feel like goo.

Edward laughed he put down DIRT and a blank tile. "That's a Y" he informed me, rather unnecessarily. Dirty worked for me. I giggled and smiled at him. He ran a finger over my cheek. "You don't need to be shy with me."

No, I didn't. He was my Edward and I knew he wanted me just as much as I wanted him. "I know. It's just a little different when you're right here."

"I like it. I already know just how dirty your mind is, Bella. It's a pleasure to watch it live and in person."

I had to laugh at that. I kissed the hand that was still touching my face. "As is yours."

"Are you trying to tell me something?" He raised his eyebrows at me.

"I don't know." I gave him a playful grin. "I guess we'll just have to see what words I play."

"Just so you know, this is the best game of Scrabble in the history of the world."

He was so damn cute. "I'm just getting started."

"Bring it, baby."

Well, he asked for it. I slapped down ROD off his DIRTY. I couldn't help but laugh at the expression on his face and the way he shifted in his chair. Was he getting turned on? God, I hoped so. I let my hand brush against his leg under the table.

He made a little noise and then played SEXY. "That's you," he told me. It amazed me that he would think it so. I licked my lips and smiled at him.

My letters weren't great but I could play LIPS so I did so. I wanted his lips badly, after all.

Edward looked at his letters for awhile and I waited to see what he had in store for me. He smiled as he placed an H on the board next to the E in sexy, then added ART to it. HEART! He finally gave it to me. I stared at him and he leaned over and kissed me. Finally. I kissed him back hard and wrapped my arms around him, moaning as his mouth worked its magic against mine.

We broke apart and smiled at one another. I had to laugh. "No tuna this time?"

He groaned and shook his head. "I can't believe you remember that. I had shitty letters!"

"Alright, I forgive you since you gave me your heart now." I would treasure that little move forever.

I turned back to the board but Edward grabbed my hand. "It is yours, you know."

Tears sprang to my eyes and I kissed him again. "I know," I told him. It still stunned me, but I felt it every time he looked at me and touched me. "And mine's yours, for as long as you want it."

He combed his fingers through my hair. "I'll want it for a long, long time," he told me.

His words warmed me and I smiled. "Good." My letters left a lot to be desired but I could go with the old standby. Why not? I grinned at him as I played TIT off HEART. It was better than TUNA anyway.

Edward laughed at me and then frowned at his letters. Suddenly his face cleared and he played the word PEEN off of lips, which set me off on a long, hard laughing jag. What were the odds? "What?" he asked me, looking baffled.

"That was..." I couldn't catch my breath, but I was dying to tell him. "The first word!"

He looked adorably confused. "What first word?"

I shook my head and tried to wipe the tears from my eyes. I hadn't laughed that hard in a long time. Finally I could talk and explain myself. "I could have played that as our first word but I was afraid it was too perverted so I used name instead."

He laughed along with me as I dissolved into giggles again, remembering my debate over playing PEEN to Edward. "I can't imagine how I would have reacted had I opened a random game to the word peen."

"I know!" I laughed. "I wouldn't hesitate to play it now but back then I was afraid of scaring you off."

"Well, you're stuck with me now," he said with a grin.

I was more than happy about that. "I won't complain about that."

"Better not," he warned.

I studied my letters and saw that I could play BEND so I did so off his PEEN. I couldn't contain my mirth as I remembered Rose telling me to just bend right over if he came up here to claim my ass. Edward winced a little. "You better not be thinking of bending the peen."

I laughed harder at that. "No, I was thinking of something else." I was blushing again, remembering that damn email. Thank God he wasn't holding me to my drunken ramblings.

"What?"

"Something Rose said," I told him, praying he'd let that drop.

"Are you gonna enlighten me? Don't think I didn't notice that you got really red when Rose was talking about that Sam guy."

"You noticed?" Crap. Damn my body's reactions to embarrassment. Why couldn't I be all stoic and unreadable?

"It was hard not to, what with you in my arms and all. Are you okay baby?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Uh…so one or the other?" I had to give him something, but it sure as hell wasn't going to be the ass conversation. "Shit, which is less embarrassing?" Sam was, sadly. "Sam was a one night stand I had after Tyler and I broke up."

"So you got the pinky peen?" I sighed and nodded. Mortifying. "Um, wow. Sorry, Bella." He clearly had no idea how to react to that news, which was understandable.

I laughed. "It was a long time ago and I'm over it. I just couldn't believe Rose brought him up in front of you, even if she didn't say why. I need to kick her ass for that later." Though I never would, because she was a huge part of the reason he was even here now.

"Now that I'd like to see." I shook my head. Not gonna happen. Edward studied his tiles and then he played DOM off BEND. I felt my cheeks heating again. Not that I was into that stuff, cause I wasn't. Though the thought of him just kind of taking me certainly held a lot of appeal.

"You're cute when you're flustered," he told me, looking mighty proud of himself for setting me off.

Two could play that game. I narrowed my eyes at him and he smiled in challenge. My letters were Okay. I had a P, D, E, A, N, S and I. It was too bad the K was already in use on the board because SPANK would rock. Well, hell. I was going to play it anyway. I snatched the K off of NAKED and placed SPANKED over on a new part of the board that had no letter or connections there. I couldn't wait to see his reaction.

Edward's hands were gripping the table and he was staring at me with wide eyes. His own cheeks seemed a little pink to me. Had I made him blush? That was awesome. I couldn't help it though. DOM combined with BEND just had my mind going into very DIRTY and SEXY places. Damn, this board was pretty awesome.

"That was an illegal move. Two of them, actually," Edward told me when he found his voice. He sounded so cute and flustered.

"What are you going to do about it?" I challenged him, biting my lip. His eyes met mine and the look in them was enough to cause my underwear to catch on fire. Jeez, the things that man could do with just a look. He looked at his tiles and then grabbed a bunch of unused tiles from the table, going through them to find what he wanted. I laughed at his own brand of cheating. He smirked as he threw down FUCK on SPANKED.

This was it. I licked my lips and met his eyes. What I saw there convinced me to go ahead and finish this. I took the M off of DOM and put it above the E in SPANKED. Read it, Edward, then do it.

"Bella," he groaned. He was holding on to the table for dear life, as if he was trying to anchor himself to his chair.

"What?" I asked innocently. Was he going to take my demand or was I going to have to just reach across the table and take him myself?

"Do you know what you're doing to me?" he asked, his voice rough.

"I sure hope so," I told him.

"You don't want to wait?" he asked? I shook my head no, all bravery starting to leave me. Did he not want to be with me now? "Thank fucking God." Thank fucking God indeed. He knocked the board onto the floor and pulled me across the corner of the table, kissing me hard as he tugged me onto it. I heard the Scrabble tiles falling to the floor, just like I'd imagined in my fantasy. I was perched on top of the table, kissing him as his hands grabbed my breasts. I reached for his t-shirt, trying to bring it up and over his head. He stood and pulled it off for me. I sat on the table and stared at the perfection and hotness before me.

He took my hand and tugged me down from the table. He wound his fingers in my hair as he pulled me to him and kissed me again, not as hard this time. I moaned and rubbed myself against him like some wanton slut, but he made me one. He stopped kissing me and looked at me, his gorgeous eyes boring into me like he could see right into my soul. "You're sure."

It seemed like a statement more than a question but I answered him anyway. "Yes, Edward. I want you," I replied. I'd never been surer of anything in my life.

"I want you too, baby. But I want to do it right. Not here at the table." Damn. My table fantasy wasn't going to come to life? He chuckled as he took in my expression. "Later, I promise."

I smiled at that. "Yeah?"

"Anywhere you want, baby. First I want to make love to you, though. Will that work?" His fingers were gentle against my cheek.

That was a silly question. "Yes." He lifted me into his arms. Now there was a fantasy come to life! "I always wanted to be carried into a bedroom."

"Well, allow me," he replied, carrying me with no effort whatsoever into the bedroom. God that was hot. He placed me on the bed and looked down at me. He was so beautiful and he was mine. Why had I been nervous? This was right. He already had my heart and now he was going to have my body. I was going to be his in every way. Everything was finally as it should be.


	33. More Than Words

This was real. Edward's gorgeous face was above mine, watching me carefully. Did he think I was going to change my mind? That I didn't want him? Was he mad? I was about ready to jump out of my skin if he didn't just touch me. His beautiful body was only a couple feet away but it was a couple feet too many. I smiled at him, trying to convey my need. I was afraid to open my mouth because I had no idea what ridiculous words I might come out with.

Finally, he came toward me, his arms on either side of me as his body at last was aligned with mine. I could feel him everywhere and I opened my mouth to his as he kissed me. Finally. That word kept echoing in my head. Had it only been a few weeks that I'd known this man? It felt like forever.

I longed to feel his body against mine, so I opened my legs and he slipped right where I wanted him. I could feel how hard he was and I moaned into his mouth as he rubbed his cock against me. I cursed my jeans. I should have worn thin cotton shorts or, better yet, nothing at all. I wanted him.

Edwards fingers moved lightly down my arms. I felt goosebumps arise at his simple touch and I moaned and wrapped my arms around him, trying to bring him to me. I needed to feel him. His bare back flexed underneath my touch and I moaned against his lips again.

His lips left mine and made their way along my jaw and then, God help me, behind my ear. His name fell from my lips. I'd never felt so good before. He'd barely touched me and I already felt like he'd been worshipping me for hours.

His lips wrapped around my lobe and he breathed into my ear. "Yes, Bella?"

Ugh, who knew the ear was connected directly to the vagina? Beause I felt those two little words down below where I wanted his cock. "I want you." It was just that simple. I wanted him more than anything.

His lips were working magic on my ear and down my neck. "You have me." His fingers picked up the pace, running up and down my body. He brushed against my breasts and I fought the urge to just grab his hands and put them there. There was no rush, but God I felt like I was going to burst if he didn't touch me soon.

I grabbed his hair and massaged his scalp. He was making me feel so good and I wanted to return the favor. Plus, I just wanted to touch that hair of his, any chance I got, I would take it. Women worldwide would do the same in my place. His lips moved down my neck and I felt his teeth lightly biting me. Jesus. I thrust myself against him shamelessly, trying to urge him to take me. He was so hard…surely he needed me just as much as I needed him.

His came back to me, licking my lip. I opened for him and his tongue danced with mine. I pulled his hair a little harder and pushed myself toward him. Take me now, Edward. His kiss got harder and he thrust against me. I swear my eyes crossed without him even being inside me. I gasped and met his movements with my own. I was so wet and so ready for him. I loved that he was taking his time with me, but a part of me just wanted to rip his jeans off and attack him. All in good time, Bella.

I dragged my hands down his back, scraping lightly with my nails. He responded by thrusting into me harder. I couldn't contain my triumphant smile. He pulled back and smirked at me.

"You like driving me crazy?" he asked, his green eyes sparkling with amusement and what I hoped was horniness.

I licked my lips, which now tasted like Edward. They needed to always taste that way. "Yes, very much."

He chuckled and raised an eyebrow at me. "I'm going to enjoy doing the same to you, baby." That brought about a whimper and more pulls deep in my belly. He got off me and sat between my legs. I rather liked him there…it was a position that held many possibilities. He finally pulled my t-shirt up, taking his time with it, driving me even crazier. The man knew what he was doing. He wanted to turn me into a puddle of anticipatory goo and it was definitely working. After about a century, he was finally tugging it over my head.

His eyes were hot on mine as he studied my body. It made me hot, which shocked the hell out of me. I never liked for Tyler to look at me for too long, it made me self conscious. Not so with Edward. He could admire me for as long as he wanted, provided he touched me.

As if he read my mind, his finger moved along the edge of my bra. My flesh pebbled beneath his touch. I shivered as his fingers slowly moved over me. "You're stunning," he murmured, bending down to kiss me again. His thumbs swept across my nipples and I moaned as I felt them harden from just that little touch.

He kept right on with it, brushing his fingers over my nipples while he kissed my neck and dipped down further. I watched him as his tongue darted out to lick along the blue lace. He smiled at me as his tongue darted underneath my bra. I couldn't stop myself from thrusting my breast at him. He needed to take it off. I didn't want anything in the way of his talented tongue. He reached behind me and opened the clasp. I sighed as my bra loosened…braless was my favorite way to be.

His eyes stayed on mine as he pushed the straps down first my right arm, and then my left. He threw it behind him somewhere and focused in on my breasts. God, it was such a turn on to watch him look at me like that. I felt like I was the only girl in the world. His fingers were on me then, tweaking my nipples gently. He was incredibly focused on his task and I just watched and enjoyed the way it made me feel to have his fingers on me at last. Those fingers I'd dreamed about for years were actually touching me. My nipples got even tauter with his ministrations.

Edward licked his lips and captured my right nipple. I felt like I could come from that alone and I grabbed his head, holding him to me so he'd continue. That wet tongue moving over my hard nipple felt incredible. His free hand continued to play with my other nipple while he sucked and nipped at my flesh. I was lost in sensation, moaning and writhing below him.

He moved to my other breast, his teeth tugging at my flesh. I yelled something or other and bucked against him. Dear God, he was beyond good at this. I felt like every single nerve in my body was attached to his mouth and fingers. He ran his hands over my sides. He was heading south. Just the thought of that had me moaning even more.

He smoothly flicked open the button of my pants and undid my zipper. He let go of my breast and studied me intently again. Was he asking me something? I arched my hips toward him, begging him to continue to undress me. I needed to feel him, all of him, and I wanted him to see and touch all of me. He took my wordless suggesting, pulling my jeans down. He smiled up at me as he exposed my panties.

"Do you always wear matching underwear or is that just for me?" he asked.

Ha, I was lucky that I even owned a couple matching pairs of underwear, but I wasn't going to tell him that. "That's for me to know."

"And me to find out? I'll take that challenge." I laughed as he pulled my jeans off. He kissed the inside of left knee and I jerked. It felt like I was on fire where his lips had been. God help me if, please let it be when, he put those lips a little bit higher. He said he loved giving oral sex. I was ready and willing to find that out for myself, thank you very much.

He started to move up my body but then he frowned and stared at me. What? His hand reached out to brush over my neck. "Did I hurt you?"

Was he crazy? The only thing that hurt me was that frown on his handsome face. "God, no," I replied, grabbing his hand and holding it in mine. "You've made me feel incredible and you haven't really touched me yet."

He laughed and I was thrilled that I could bring him back from whatever unhappy place that he'd gone. "I haven't, huh? Just what are you saying, Bella?"

Looks like I'll have to show him. I sat up and he leaned back to give me room. I touched that magnificent torso of his, running my hands over his pecs and along that perfect six or was it eight pack? No, eight was hotdogs. Six was beverages. Who in the hell came up with that description for abs anyway? And why in the hell was I thinking about that instead of the beauty in front of me? His body was the sexiest thing ever, that much I knew.

I kissed his chest, giving him back a little of what he gave me, using my tongue and teeth to drive him wild. I sucked his nipple into my mouth and swirled it with my tongue, biting gently and tugging on it. Edward moaned and threw back his head in surrender. He was mine. What a feeling that gave me.

I released him and smiled at him, figuring I'd proven my point. "Is that enough for you?" As if you could stop now, Edward Cullen. As if I would let you.

"Fuck no," he practically growled. Before I could react, he had me back down on the bed and was kissing the life out of me. Thank God. I kissed him back just as hard until he pulled away from me. "Message received, baby." I smiled in triumph. I loved when he called me baby.

He kissed both of my breasts but kept going lower, kissing and licking at my stomach. It tickled but I didn't laugh, it wasn't that kind of tickle. I just burned for him. He bit my hipbone and I thought I was going to come as his teeth and tongue latched on me. His fingers slid further down my body and then he was touching me, feeling just how we I was for him. I couldn't contain the moan as his finger traced over my underwear, barely rubbing my clit but it was enough.

He slid his fingers underneath my waistband and started to pull my underwear off. I bent my legs and helped him as he guided them down my legs. He tossed it behind him and immediately bent his head to kiss my inner left thigh. God, I was going to jump out of my own skin. He rested his head on my leg and met my eyes as his finger began to stroke me. It was incredibly erotic, him looking at me like he was ready to eat me alive, which hopefully he was, while he barely touched me. I made a noise and spread my legs wider. He made me demanding, which was something completely new for me. Touch me, Edward. Taste me. Please.

A second finger joined the first and I thrust myself at him shamelessly. He pushed a finger inside me and took a deep breath before adding a second. That set me off and had me moaning and yelling his name as he stretched me with those fabulous fingers. If it wasn't sacrilege I'd happily send up a prayer of thanks for those digits of his, but I really needed to not invoke wrath before I got to have all of him.

He slid his fingers in and out of me slowly and then just as slowly moved his head toward where I wanted it most. His tongue hit my clit and I let out my biggest whore-moan yet. I was afraid I sounded like one of those fake porno girls but every sound he was invoking was real. He licked me slowly and pushed his fingers just as slowly in and out of me.

"Edward, oh, God," I gasped. I was using my left leg to pull him toward me, anything to get him to continue licking and sucking on me. His teeth scraped across me and I swear I went blind for a second. I pushed my hips toward him again and managed to choke out a "So good," to let him know that he was killing me but to keep right on with it. His tongue moved faster and so did his fingers, thankfully. I was going to explode soon.

He reached under me and grabbed my ass, pulling me toward his face as he began to lick me faster. I had my legs spread wide and my body had a mind of its own, moving and wiggling as I grabbed hold of the bed and tried to find an anchor. I felt my body start to fly as Edward's fingers curled inside me and his teeth closed on my clit. So close. I was so fucking close. His tongue went down the length of my slit as his fingers pumped inside of me.

My hips thrust toward him, trying to take those fingers deeper inside me. So close. He shifted his fingers and curled them again. I felt a vibration on my clit as he hummed and I was gone. I came hard as his tongue moved over me, electrical shocks going through me. I saw spots as my body came down. He continued to lick me as the aftershocks went through me, my body jerking and out of my control.

I opened my eyes and took in that smug smile as he kissed my clit once before moving back up my stomach, kissing his way up my body slowly. Oh no, no time for that now. I grabbed his hair and pulled him up to me, kissing him, tasting myself on his lips. That was new, too. It wasn't anything I'd ever wanted to do before but damned if it wasn't sexy to me right now. I rolled us over so that I was on top of him now. My turn, Edward.

I climbed over him, running my fingers over his broad chest. His eyes were hot on mine as I reached his waistband and unbuttoned his jeans. His hands came up to cup my breasts, which was so sexy. I arched into his hands and put mine over the top of his, applying more pressure to my breasts. God that felt good. But I needed more. I needed to see all of him.

I let go of Edward's hands and climbed off him so I could remove his jeans. He helped me by lifting his hips off the bed and I yanked his boxers off along with his pants. I was rewarded with the sight of one very hard, very nice cock. He was bigger than Tyler and Sam went without saying, thank God for that. The words "Very nice," slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them but it was the entire truth. His dick was just as beautiful as the rest of him and it was mine. All mine.

"Thanks," he replied, laughing lightly. Okay, so it was a stupid thing to say but I couldn't exactly take it back. I'd make him forget all about it, though. I pulled his pants and boxers the rest of the way off and tossed them on the floor before moving back up to kiss him. His hands wound through my hair and he worked more magic on my mouth with his. He was a hell of a kisser. I forgot all about what I was doing for a few moments but then I felt the reminder against my leg. I grabbed his cock and squeezed it. So hard. I couldn't wait to have him inside me. I rubbed my finger over the tip and felt the wetness already there.

I pulled away from him and crouched between his legs. I was fascinated by how hard and ready he was for me. It made me hot and I touched myself while looking at Edward. His eyes widened and he sat forward a little to watch me. I couldn't believe how easy it was to do this in front of him. I'd never, ever touched myself in front of a guy before, minus the occasional touch of my clit while fucking to try to get myself off. It rarely worked though.

My fingers were good and wet so I stopped and ran my hand over the length of his shaft. Edward moaned as I worked him slowly, up and down, squeezing him at the base and then all the way up before skimming a finger over the head. He thrust into my hand and I started to work him faster, squeezing and sliding, over and over.

I loved touching him, but I wanted more. I wanted to taste him. I ran my tongue over my lip before I bent down and touched it to the head of his cock. I tasted his salty pre-cum and then ran my tongue along the length of him. "Fuck!" he shouted. I hadn't even taken him into my mouth and he was already putty in my hands, or my tongue, as it were. I loved it. I licked my way back up to the top of his cock before sucking the head into my mouth.

I swirled my tongue over his head, teasing him before I took him further into my mouth, continuing to move my tongue on the underside of his dick. Edward's hands were in my hair and he tugged lightly as I took him further into my mouth. I used my right hand to cup and roll his balls, squeezing lightly.

I took him in as far as I could before I pulled back and then took him back down my throat. "God, Bella," he moaned. I tried to smile at him as I worked him good with my mouth. I squeezed his balls a little harder and he jerked. "I want to be inside you," he gasped. Well, I could certainly accommodate that request. I released him and kissed the head of his cock before crawling back into his arms. He kissed me and turned so that I was on my back. I could feel him between my legs, right where I wanted him. He hit my clit and I moaned with want.

"Bella, do you have a condom?" Shit. I opened my eyes and tried to focus on him. I shook my head. Shit. I hadn't had use for any but of course, my roommates did. We'd be okay. I was on the pill but I didn't blame him for not trusting me. I was sure there were plenty of girls who would try to trap him with an unplanned pregnancy. Not me. Not that I didn't want to have his babies, someday, but I was only twenty-two and had plenty of time before I thought about being a mom. Damn it, I needed to focus on the task at hand.

"Rose or Alice might," I told him. Whatever we did, we needed to do it soon. I wanted him. I felt his cock between my legs and I kept rubbing on it like a bear did a tree in the woods. Make me feel good, Edward. I'd just tell him that I was on the pill, give him the option if he wanted it. "I'm on the pill, though." I saw the hesitation in his eyes so I sought to make him feel better. "I mean, I'm clean and everything. I got tested after…" Tyler. He wasn't worthy of being discussed or thought of when I was with Edward.

I cupped his cheek. "I mean, I get it if you don't want to take the chance, but I swear I'm on the pill. I can show you…" His lips were on mine, and that was kind of the best way in the universe to be shut up so I did so. I just wanted him to trust me, despite how we started. I would never hurt him.

He kissed me softly. "I trust you, Bella." Thank God. Either way, do something, Edward. I need you. His cock slid against me again and I opened my legs wider. His eyes were on mine as he entered me. Holy shit. It had really been a long time and he was big and I felt full even though he wasn't anywhere near all the way in. I felt my eyes rolling back in my head as he slowly moved deeper into me. "Are you okay?" he asked. I loved his concern for me. I nodded and he kept going, finally filling me. That felt incredible. I wrapped my legs around him and he somehow managed to sink in further. Holy shit.

He barely moved inside me as he kissed me, his lips hard on mine. I grabbed his back and dug my fingers in, silently urging him to move. I would have demanded it verbally but his lips felt too good on mine. He moved slowly out of me and then thrust in harder. Hell yes. I moved my hips in time with his, taking him all the way inside me. God, he felt good.

Our speed increased with each thrust. He kissed me all over, moving from my lips to my cheek, my neck, my jaw and even on my nose. That affectionate gesture nearly did me in. I grinned at him and scratched at his scalp. It was weird. I'd never actually felt like grinning during sex but here I was smiling like a lovesick fool at Edward even as his cock pounded into me and drove me to the brink of coming.

I squeezed him with my thighs and he brought his lips back to mine, our tongues moving together as he thrust deep inside of me. I was getting close, I could feel it, so I shifted a little. Edward responded and angled his hips and hot damn. I gasped and he did it again and again. I was about to come. Edward's eyes darkened and he flicked my clit and I was done. My body felt like it was being shot with a thousand taser guns, but good ones, not the hurting kind. I tightened around him and fought to hold on since my limbs seemed like they were being controlled by someone other than me. Edward thrust into me hard and deep. I yelled his name over and over he hit the spot again. Holy crap. I came again and he did too, thrusting deep and grunting as he filled me.

Edward lay on top of me, breathing heavily. I clung to him and tried to catch my own breath. He started to pull away but I didn't want that. "No." He chuckled and brushed his lips across my forehead.

"I don't want to smash you."

"I like it." I did. It felt amazing having him on top of me. If he'd do it 24/7 I wouldn't utter a word of protest.

He kissed me and I got lost in him again. The next thing I knew, I was on top of him and he was no longer inside me. That wouldn't do. I pouted at him and he kissed me and tightened his arms around me.

"That was amazing." Yes, yes it was. I loved how attuned we were to one another.

I smiled at him. "I know. It's never been like that for me before." He smirked at me and I laughed and gave him a light tap on his chest. "I meant that connection." He frowned but I didn't think he was serious. All the same, I thought I'd make it clear. I curled into him and gave him what he needed. It was the least I could do since he'd certainly done that for me. "The sex, too."

Edward smiled. "I know what you mean." He ran his hands up and down my back while I played with his hair. Edward closed his eyes and made a happy noise while I dragged my nails over his head lightly. My dad used to do that when he put me to sleep and night and sure enough it worked on Edward because he was out quickly. I relaxed in his arms. I wasn't sleepy, but I was damn well going to enjoy being held by him.

About half an hour later, I was ready to get up. I had to pee and clean up a little. I tried to move away from him but his arms tightened around me. "Don't leave," he grumbled sleepily, opening his eyes and frowning at me. He was so damn cute when he woke up.

I giggled. "I have to. I need to go to the bathroom. I waited as long as I could."

He grinned and sat up abruptly. "So do I."

What the hell was that about? I was comfortable with our sexy times, but I was not comfortable with communal peeing this early in the game. "Um, I don't think we're quite to the going to the bathroom stage together."

Edward started laughing so hard that I thought he might cry. "What's so funny?" I demanded.

He shook his head. "I meant, you should take a shower." Was I disgusting? I mean, I sweated a little during our sexy times but so did he. "Er, we should take a shower," he explained.

A shower? Like…oh! "Yeah?"

His fingers tickled my stomach. "Oh yeah."

YES! I couldn't contain my smile. "Give me three minutes and come on in." I felt his eyes on me as I darted into the bathroom. I relieved myself and washed my hands before turning on the water. I got it to my favored medium hot temperature and got in. How long had it been? Where was he? I wanted my shower sex and I wanted it now!

No sooner had I had the thought than the curtain parted and Edward was in with me, his arms wrapped around my waist. He moved his hands down my body and between my legs where, yeah, I was wet again at just the thought of him doing me in the shower.

His lips moved over my neck and I brushed my ass against him. He was hard and ready for me yet again. He played with my clit as he steered me against the wall. "Are you ready for me, baby?"

God, baby again. "Yes," I managed to say, rubbing myself against his hands. His cock hit my ass and I gasped. He wasn't going to try that, was he? No…he said we'd wait on something like that. Please don't let him try that. I probably don't have the strength to say no but I'm hardly ready for…was he laughing? He turned me around and kissed me. I felt a bit relieved that he wasn't attempting to de-virginize my back door. I fisted his cock as he pressed me back against the tile. It was cold on my skin but I didn't mind, especially when Edward lifted me. He was so strong. I released his cock and met his eyes. I was so ready.

He entered me in one smooth thrust and didn't wait this time. He was moving in and out of me quickly, which was absolutely fine because it felt amazing and we were having shower sex which made me so excited I probably could have come from just the idea of it. I reached between us and touched myself, since he'd enjoyed it so much before. It felt so good, the stimulation on the inside and the outside, much like my toy but so much hotter.

I was going to come ridiculously fast but I doubted he'd mind. I pinched my clit and moved my fingers over it faster. Edward lifted me a little higher and hit that fucking spot again and I was gone. I yelled incoherently as I came around him. Edward thrust deep inside me and came right after, his body taut. He thrust a few times, getting his release.

Edward put me down but held on to me. I couldn't contain my giggle. "Wow."

He laughed breathlessly. "Yeah, wow is right. I need to double my workouts again."

Mmm, it would be so worth it if he did. I kissed him and guided him into the shower spray. "Well, just remember that cabin has a big old bathtub. You won't need to worry then." We could soak and rub and have all sorts of fun in there.

"I can't wait," he told me. I brushed his hair back and he moaned. He loved for me to play with his hair. That was a good thing because I planned on doing it a lot.

"Bend," I told him as I reached for my shampoo. I rubbed it into his hair, scraping his scalp. He closed his eyes and moaned several more times. It sounded like he enjoyed it nearly as much as he did sex with me. I rinsed his hair and then conditioned it.

"My turn," he told me. He brushed his fingers through my hair as he wet it and yeah, I made the same moaning sounds when he shampooed my hair. It felt incredible. Maybe he could quit being an actor and just become my permanent hair washer. What an idea that was. He rinsed it out, running his fingers through it. He conditioned me and the water started to get cool so we finished our shower a little early. We got out of the shower and he toweled me off, so gently. I did the same to him and tried to control my hormones because I was starting to want him again. We both needed some recovery time though. I wasn't used to all this action.

I put on my night shirt and Edward looked like I'd just offered him candy, which made me smirk at him. He shrugged but looked totally unrepentant as he pulled on his boxers. We both slid back into bed.

"I think we need a real nap, much as I hate to sleep with you here," I told him. It wasn't going to be a long one, but I needed to recharge a bit.

He pulled me into his arms. "We still have plenty of time, baby. I'm just happy to be with you, any way I can get you."

"This has been the best day ever," I told him. Hands down.

He squeezed me and kissed my cheek. "It has. And we have more day left."

One more day, and then a whole week. I was going to hold on to that and try not to think about what came after. We'd figure it out together. I drifted to sleep with a smile on my face from that thought.


	34. Fantasies Come To Life

If I was dreaming, I didn't want to wake up. I was cuddled up in my bed with Edward, the guy I'd had a crush on from afar for years. These things just didn't happen in real life, yet somehow it had happened in mine. It was his sexy, bare chest that my head was pillowed upon and it was his legendary fingers that combed through my hair and all the way down my back. Was it too early to want him again? I moved closer to him and his hand rested on my ass. I laughed as his actions echoed my thoughts.

"You have a one track mind," I informed him, moving so I could stare into his handsome face. I'd never tire of looking at him.

"Says she who started a dirty Scrabble game," he told me with a grin.

Yes, I did do that. I couldn't be prouder of myself. "It's our thing."

He chuckled. "It is. I like it."

"I like it too. How are your arms?"

He flexed them and I fought not to swoon. Everything about him was sexy. It was so wrong but I damn well wasn't going to complain. He was mine. "A little sore but totally worth it."

Of course it was. "I'll say."

His lips brushed mine. "I think we should take another shower later."

Another shower? How about yes and please? But I didn't want him to hurt himself. I had more uses for him. He couldn't go down with an injury. He could go down though. Oh yeah...damn it, focus. "I thought you were sore."

Edward blinked at me looking all innocent. "Maybe I just wanted a regular old shower, pervert."

Had I read him wrong? "Oh, okay, well…"

He chuckled and rolled on top of me. "I was just kidding, baby." He bit my chin gently. "I don't have to lift you up, you know."

No? That was interesting. I ran my hands over his smooth, bare back. "Oh, is that so?"

"Mmm, that's so. I was thinking you put your hands on the wall and I could take you from behind…" Gah. Yes! Do that. How about now? No, not now. Calm down, Bella.

I licked my lips because I knew what it did to him. "I think that sounds very nice."

"Nice?" he asked, sounding miffed. I did my best to school my expression and nodded. He started tickling me which made me shriek. I tried to get away but he had me pinned and hello, did we have lift off again? God bless a man with stamina. This was all so new to me. I loved it. I didn't love being tickled but I didn't mind him doing it.

"Adequate?" I suggested, giggles overtaking me.

"I'll show you adequate." The next thing I knew, he was kissing me and trying to take off my shirt. I was wet and moaning already, because yeah, I wanted him again. He pulled away long enough to pull my shirt off and then we were back to kissing. I pulled off his boxers and there he was, hard and just as ready as I was.

He was inside me right after his boxers came off. It took everything I had in me not to come right away, because I was that wound up.

"Adequate?" he growled, thrusting into me hard.

"Fair to middling?" I loved his reaction to my words. His eyes got darker with determination and he fucked me even harder. He lifted my ass of the bed and hit new depths and…what the fuck? Did he just spank me? I heard the noise before I felt a light sting on my left ass cheek. Oh my God. Who knew? Seriously, who the hell knew that spanking would feel good? Did Rose? Of course she did. That explained her dominatrix costume. God. I wanted him to do it again. Did that make me a weirdo? Would it be whips and chains next? I'm not Rihanna! Fuck it, I want it again. I'll be Rihanna. No whips though.

Edward was watching me nervously. Did he honestly think I was upset? I mean, I was a little disturbed to find out I was a bit of a freak, but it was a good kind of disturbed I think. "Bella, I…"

"Do it again," I demanded. I needed to know if it would feel as good a second time. I watched as he hit the other cheek and fuck yes, it was. My porn moan was in full effect, there was no stopping it.

"Fuck," I managed, lifting my hips to him, urging him to fuck me harder and damn it, yes, do it again. One more time and I would be gone. "Again." He hit the left cheek again and yes, it felt so good and I lost control of my body. Hard cock, sexy hands and a red ass and I was done. I came hard, calling his name. He said mine back as he collapsed on top of me.

"Holy shit." It was all I could say. That was just…my God. He pulled out and held me to him.

"Are you okay? I didn't hurt you, did I?" He was so sweet, so concerned and his hands felt amazing on my ass. It was a little tingly but it definitely didn't hurt.

"Of course I'm okay. You just surprised the hell out of me and then it felt so good with you inside me and…" I had to smile at him. "It was better than adequate."

He laughed and planted a kiss on me. "You scared the hell out of me. I should cut you off."

As if he could. I may not know everything about him, but I damn well knew that he wanted me as much as I wanted him. "I guess I'll be showering alone later then." A little teasing never hurt. His face was priceless. He was pouting and adorable. I had to put him out of his misery. "Just kidding, baby. But I do think that if we're going to do that again, we need some fuel. Donuts are not going to cut it."

He nodded. "I could eat."

I couldn't resist pushing the hair out of his eyes. "Well, I can cook or we can order in."

"Order. I don't want to make you cook for me."

Sweet boy. Don't you know I'd love to cook for you? What did we have though? Not a lot. "Actually, I'd really like to, but today was grocery day and obviously I didn't get to the store."

He kissed my cheek. "You can cook for me another time, baby. I'd rather not let you go long enough for you to cook anyway."

How great was that to hear? He didn't want to stop touching me. The feeling was entirely mutual. "I can cook for you at the cabin. We'll need to bring food with us, right?"

He shot me a grin. "I was actually just going to buy a barrel of apples to take with us."

God I loved how his mind worked, but apples would get old after a week or so. I smacked his chest lightly. "You're incorrigible."

"And you like me that way," he rightly pointed out before giving me a kiss.

"That I do." I more than like you, Edward. Way more. "Pizza work for you?"

"Yeah, I'm easy."

Damn right he was. "I know you are." That earned me another, lighter ass slap which made me laugh and yeah, turned me on. I was such a whore for him. "What? Am I wrong?"

"I'm only easy for you, baby." Damn right. Better stay that way.

"Good, I like it that way." We may as well be on equal whorish footing.

"Me too, Bella. Very much so."

"Well, easy one, pencil me in for a shower later." I got up and pulled on my other good pair of underwear. I really needed to go shopping. He made a strangled sound and I grinned at him as I pulled on my gym shorts, that of course I'd worn to the gym exactly one time. Exercise wasn't my thing. I put on a Forks PD shirt that I'd stolen from Dad on my last visit home. Edward got up and put on some clothes, which was a damn shame but I couldn't have the pizza guy or girl ogling my man's perfect body, so I'd have to suck it up, for now. Hahah I said suck, well, thought it. Same difference.

"What do you like on your pizza?" I better get it ordered before I got sidetracked again. It wouldn't be hard. Hard. Damn it, there I go again.

He slid his wallet and phone into his jeans. He best not think he was paying. "Anything but peppers. And I prefer thin crust but I can eat whatever you like."

And we were copacetic on pizza as well. He really was the perfect man. "I'm with you on both those things. And no onions either. I want to kiss you."

He chuckled and pulled me against his chest. "You'd kiss me even with onion breath." His lips were working their magic on my neck and I laughed breathlessly.

"Yeah, well, I'm easy for you, too. We're lucky like that." So very lucky.

"Antonio's. Can I take your order?" a youngish male voice asked.

"I'd like a large supreme thin crust, extra cheese, no peppers or onions." Edward bit my collarbone and I wiggled against him but he held tight.

"That'll be $16.32 with tax and delivery. Are you still at Fox Woods Apartments?"

"Yeah. Okay, thanks," I managed to choke out before I ended the call and glared at Edward. "You're a distraction."

"You like it," he informed me. The man could read me like a book. I pulled him into the living room. We needed to have a little down time before I jumped his sexy ass again. I turned on the TV and steered him to the entertainment center.

"Want to watch another movie while we wait?" I asked him.

"Sure," he replied, looking over our movies. "You are a crazy stalker fan," he pointed out, gesturing at the Edward Cullen section of movies, which just happened to be the top row. Ass. I smacked the asses' ass and he laughed and grabbed me before I could run. "Just kidding, baby," he told me with a sweet smile.

"Humph. You should be honored. I help pay your salary." What? I had spent plenty of hard earned, okay, Daddy given allowance on him.

He snorted. "I do appreciate that, sweetheart." He kissed the top of my head and surveyed the movies. "How about Iron Man?" RDJ? Yeah, that wasn't a bad thing. I pulled it out and bent to slide it into the DVD player. His hands were on my ass and I smacked at him. What was with him and my ass? Not that I was complaining, so long as that email didn't come up again. I'd die of embarrassment.

"So bad!" I said, moving away from him before I got all hot and bothered, okay, more hot and bothered. "Do you want something to drink?"

"Got any beer?" he asked.

Silly question. "Hello, we're college girls. Of course we have beer."

He laughed. "I stand corrected. Do you have any good beer?"

Wasn't he just the demanding one? I went into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of Heineken. "Will this work, Rich Boy?"

"Yeah, that'll work," he said with a laugh. I used the bottle opener on both bottles and carried them over to the couch. I sat and shot him a stink eye as he approached me. "I was just teasing, baby. I'd drink whatever beer you had."

How cute was he? "I know, I just wanted to call you Rich Boy."

He smirked and wrapped his arm around me. "That's cool, College Girl. I have my very own little co-ed."

He was crazy. "It's not like I'm a Catholic school girl."

His smile could not get any wider. "Oh, but you are in some of my fantasies."

Hmmm now there was an interesting idea. Plaid skirt, white shirt…I'd have to talk to Rose. I slid my right leg on top of his left and he put his beer bottle right on my bare knee. Damn that was cold! "That's cold! And you're a pervert." Luckily for you, so am I.

"You like my pervertedness," he told me, making up his own word again. "Speaking of perverts, we haven't heard from Emmett and Rose yet, have we?"

No, we hadn't. Hopefully they were both still alive. Edward slipped his phone out of his pocket and laughed. "Maybe we have." He hit a button and snickered before holding the phone out to me.

_Dude, she's killing me._

_If I die, I bequeath you my cars and my porn collection. Seriously, do not let Mom find my porn collection._

_Totally worth it if I go. I'm going to marry this girl._

Holy shit. "Marriage?" I managed, coughing as beer went down the wrong pipe. Edward hit my back lightly.

"Oh yeah, Em's convinced that she's the one for him."

Really? That was a little fast, wasn't it? "Already? They just met."

Edward studied me. "So did we."

Yeah, but we were different because…well, we just were. There was this indefinable feeling about us that just felt right. And it wasn't like we hadn't been talking for a little bit at least, enough to be pretty invested in one another. "Yeah, but we've been talking for awhile now."

"Sometimes time's not a factor. There's just a thing there. I feel like we have it, even if I can't describe it."

Thank God. He felt it too. I put a hand to his cheek. "I know what you mean. It scares me a little because I've never felt this strongly this fast before. Can it really be real, you know?"

"It feels pretty darn real to me," he replied, looking a little hurt. Shit. I wasn't trying to hurt him. It was real, but fantastic at the same time.

"Me too," I said softly. He kissed me then and all the worries just went away. This was right. I closed my eyes and moaned against his lips. His fingers brushed my cheek and I needed to see him, to show him that I was in this. I did believe in us, I was just afraid his reality and mine were going to crash and hopefully not burn when they did. I opened my eyes and saw it all there reflected back in his. Love? Could he possibly love me already? It felt like it when he touched me, when he took me. It was so fast though. Not as fast as Emmett and Rose apparently.

"You're stuck with me, Bella," he told me when we finally broke apart.

Happily, Edward. "You won't hear me complaining," I responded, resting my head on his shoulder.

I finally looked at the TV and saw all of Iron Man's fancy cars, which brought to mind a question. "Does your garage look like that?"

Edward smiled and shook his head. "If Emmett had his way it would, but no. Nothing as cool as that."

That was probably a good thing. "I'm afraid it's all wasted on me. I was too scared to admit it last night but I don't even know what a Venom is," I confessed. I'd have to check it out before they left.

He threw back his head and laughed hard. "That's okay, baby, we'll work on your car knowledge when you come to visit."

Visit? Hell yes! "Yeah? You want me to come visit?"

He nodded. "Of course I do. After your Spring Break, I've got about two weeks before I head to Berlin to start filming Steele. I'll be there for two or three months." Two or three months without him? Could I survive it? I was addicted to him already. And kind of already in love with him. Edward tilted my chin up so I met his eyes. "I was kind of hoping that maybe you'd be able to come visit me sometime after school ends? I know you said you might go to work for your father but maybe you could squeeze out a couple of weeks?"

Holy shit, he wanted me to visit him in Europe? Me? "Really? You want me to come to Europe with you?"

He flashed me that special smile. "Baby, I want you with me always. Obviously with you in school, we can't do that, but I'll be with you as often as is humanly possible. If you could come for the whole summer I'd be on cloud nine."

This was almost too much to handle. My brain was short circuiting. I didn't have nearly enough saved to afford a ticket. "Me? In Europe? I don't know if I could afford…"

"Bella, you'd be coming to see me so the trip would be on me," he interrupted.

I couldn't keep taking advantage of him just because he had more money than I did. Plus, his logic didn't hold. "I didn't pay for your trip up here, or the cabin."

"Emmett paid for my trip up here and no, you're not paying for the cabin." He stroked my cheek and I leaned into him. "As you so aptly pointed out, I'm rich. You're in college. I have money, you don't. I'll be paying for the big things. Please let me. You coming to visit would make me happy. Don't you want to make me happy?" The look he gave me could have melted steel. It wasn't fair.

"Is that look supposed to work?"

He chuckled. "Yes, it is. Are you saying it didn't?"

"No," I told him with a sigh. He was right and the fact of the matter was, I wanted to see him. I couldn't afford to go out there, but he could. If it was a matter of pride or not spending time with the man of my dreams, pride was getting kicked to the curb. A knock interrupted my thoughts and I grinned. At least there was something I could do. "But I'm paying for the pizza!"

I hopped up and ran to the front door, grabbing a twenty out of my purse to pay the delivery person. I opened the door and there stood Mike Newton with my pizza box. What in the hell was he doing? Did he work at Antonio's now? We'd have to start ordering from Pizza Hut if that was the case.

"Mike? What are you doing here?" I asked.

He grinned and held the box out to me. "I was visiting one of our brothers who works at Antonio's when your order came in. I told him I'd bring it."

Um, that was so not cool. Wasn't there some sort of delivery guy code? Little frat brother had violated my privacy. "Oh. Well that was nice of you. Thanks." I hoped my tone conveyed how very nice I really didn't find it. Now give me my pizza and go. I held out the twenty I'd grabbed and Mike shook his head.

"I already paid for it."

He did? What in the hell possessed him to do that? We weren't dating and we weren't even really friends. "Mike, that's really not necessary."

"I wanted to. Hey, listen, I heard you went out with Colin last night. Did, uh…I mean are you…are you two together?" He managed to get the words out while I stared at him. What in the hell were they doing sitting around and discussing me at Sig Ep? Ugh, I hated those guys. I needed to shoot him down pronto and for good.

"I'm not with Colin but I…"

"Hey, baby, is the pizza here?" Edward's voice was very near and I jumped in surprise. His arms wrapped around my waist.

"Uh, yeah," I told him as I leaned into his touch. He kissed my neck and I laughed as the bill of the hat he was wearing hit my chin. Some disguise, Edward. But his face was turned into my so maybe it would work, so long as his hair wasn't on display.

"Good, I'm starving." Jeez, was he purring? He sounded like he wanted to eat me, which was something I had absolutely no problem with.

Mike was staring at me wide eyed and I felt a little bad but it wasn't like I hadn't made it clear that I wasn't interested. "Right. Well, thanks Mike. Are you sure we don't owe you anything?"

He shook his head and looked down. "I…no, it's already paid for I mean and…"

Edward thrust money forward, damn him. He'd managed to pay for the food too. I was damn well paying for our food for the cabin. Maybe not Emmett's, though. That might bankrupt me. "Thanks, man," Edward told him.

"Uh, yeah." Mike snatched the bill and stepped back. "I'll just leave you to it then. Bye, Bella."

"Bye, Mike." I hurriedly closed the door and turned to face Edward. "What was that about?"

He took his hat off and tossed it on the bar. "Who was that guy?" he asked, sounding a little put out. Was he jealous? How amazing was that?

I rolled my eyes and grabbed some plates from the kitchen. "That was Mike Newton."

Edward put the pizza on the coffee table and eyed me. "And who is Mike Newton?"

I sighed and gave him a plate and paper towel. "He's Tyler's old roommate."

"And he's into you?" Edward asked, an edge to his voice.

I shrugged. It wasn't exactly a big deal. "Yeah. He's tried to ask me out a few times but I always change the subject before he can get it out." I grinned when I remembered the movie fiasco. "He followed us into the movie theater when we went to see _Wild at Heart_ and sat next to me. He fell asleep."

"Oh yeah?" he commented, opening the pizza box and handing me a slice before getting his own. "And what did you do?"

I laughed. I still couldn't believe he'd followed me in and then fallen asleep. "We snuck out of the theater after the movie was over and left him sleeping in there."

Edward joined in my laughter. "So he's a frat guy?" he asked with a smirk.

"Yes. He's in the same frat as Tyler and Colin were."

He scowled at that. "Incestuous little bunch, aren't they? Going after one another's girls?"

I put my hand on his knee and squeezed. "I'm your girl." Not theirs. Never theirs. Yeah, I dated Tyler but it never felt like this.

"I really hated that I couldn't introduce myself," he told me, sounding frustrated.

"I know." I patted his knee. "But it's too early and you have to talk to your people before we tell the Mike Newton's of the world."

"Will he leave you alone, do you think?"

He was so sweet but he had nothing to worry about. "Mike's harmless, Edward. He's persistent but you put on quite a show for him. I doubt he'll ask me out anytime soon."

He growled. "That better be never."

I had to laugh at his expression. It was so silly. Like he had anything to worry about when it came to me. "You really are cute when you're jealous. You have nothing to worry about, least of all Mike Newton. If anybody has to worry…"

"You don't," he hurried to assure me. He set our plates down and held both my hands. "I'm yours, Bella. Heart and soul. I know it's fast but it's right."

How did he know? How did he know the perfect thing to say? More importantly, how could he possibly feel it too? It was beyond my wildest dreams. I felt my eyes fill with tears as I hurled myself into his arms. He hugged me and rocked me gently. I closed my eyes and just reveled in being held by him. How could I go without it when he left tomorrow? It was ridiculous that I felt like four days was four years.

"A part of me is so afraid to let you go tomorrow, that you won't come back or that it will have all been a dream," I admitted to him, because that was the one thing that kept me from floating to the moon with happiness. There was a little voice in my head that reminded me that guys like Edward didn't exist, at least not for me. But he was here and he was mine. The voice just needed to shut the fuck up.

He squeezed me. "No, Bella. It's as real as it gets. And I'll hate leaving, but I'll be back in four days. You couldn't get rid of me if you tried."

I looked up at him as a few tears slipped free. "I'd never try." Not unless I lost my mind.

"You better not, or I'll turn into the stalker." I laughed. He'd be a welcome stalker, that was for damn sure. "No tears, baby." He brushed a tear from my cheek. "We're going to have nine whole days together and then hopefully a nice long time in Europe."

I tried to draw in all the emotion that wanted to spill out. "I'm going to have a lot of explaining to do to my dad."

Edward smiled. "If he wants to be your chaperone…well, I was going to say he was welcome to but I really don't think I'd like having to sneak you into my room."

I chuckled as I pictured Charlie's face. "Yeah, that wouldn't be good. He does carry a gun you know."

Edward grinned. "He couldn't bring it on the plane."

That was a valid point. I doubted he'd put up too much of an argument, once he knew everything. "True. But I think he'll let me go. It'll just take a lot of explaining on my part."

"Well, if you need me to talk to him, I will."

How sweet was he? I laughed. "Yeah? What would you say? I swear not to sex up your daughter all over the continent?"

He tickled my sides. "I don't make promises I can't keep. But I do give good parent." He smiled confidently and I laughed at his fine ass.

"I just bet you do, to female parents." They'd be putty in his hands. Too bad I had no use for my mom.

"Hey, I bet your dad has seen a Steele movie or two," he pointed out.

That was true. Dad liked action movies. "Actually he has. You might be okay after all."

"I will. And so will you. My mom's already anxious to meet you."

That was kind of scary. I bit my lip as I imagined her making two grown men cower in fear. "As scared as you two are of her, I'm a little nervous about that one."

Edward pulled me into his lap. "My mom already adores you because you make me happy."

I bent over to grab us both another slice that I put on one plate. He took his and took a bite. "Did she like Irina?" God, I hated that woman. It was silly because it was thanks to her that I had him here with me, but I hated anyone that hurt him.

"She tolerated her but I don't think she actually liked her too much. She hates her now."

Well, we had that in common anyway. "Join the club."

"I know." He grinned at me. "You really do have nothing to worry about. We'll figure out parental meetings at some point. First we have our trip to enjoy." Nine whole days and nights…I could only begin to imagine how we'd fill the time. It would be fantastic.

I needed to focus on things other than sex. It was hard though. Hard. There I went again. Speaking of parents, I was wondering about his father. "What about your dad?" I asked, taking a bite of my pizza. Cheesy, yummy goodness. Thank God Mike didn't work there, I'd be pissed if I had to give Antonio's up because of him.

"My dad gets along with everyone. He's very easy going and he kind of lets Mom take the lead when it comes to social stuff. He just goes with the flow."

That was a very good thing. One tough parent was enough to get through. "That's nice," I told him.

"They'll both love you," he reassured me with a confident grin.

I smiled back at him. "I hope so."

"Never doubt it, baby." I finished my pizza and cuddled into him. He ate his and put the plate down before holding to him tightly.

"We managed to miss most of the movie," I observed. It was easy to get lost in him.

"I'd rather watch you any day," he replied. I felt my cheeks heating. He was incredible. "I really liked watching you touch yourself earlier," he told me. His voice was deeper and sexier.

Oh, I could tell. I bit my lip and met his eyes. "I noticed."

"I was wondering if maybe I could watch you do it again."

Holy shit. "Maybe." Like it was even a question? I'd do pretty much anything he wanted.

"Maybe?" He gave me an adorable pout.

I had to laugh at him. If I was gonna touch myself, he was gonna touch himself. I'd imagined it far too many times not to get to see the live and in person performance. "Only if you return the favor."

He raised an eyebrow. "You want to watch me touch myself?"

Damn right I do, Cullen. "Yes. Using my lotion. It's scented though."

He chuckled. "I was thinking of buying some of that brand for when I wasn't around you, since you smell so good."

He liked it? He could have a bottle. I'd love for him to have my smell when I wasn't around. "Really? You don't have to buy it. I have another bottle."

Edward smiled and hugged me tightly. "You'd give me a bottle of your lotion?"

Silly question! "Of course! It's so hot when you tell me about touching yourself."

He stroked my left cheek. I was on fire and blushing horribly. "If I use the lotion, will you use your car?"

The car? Oh my God. "Yes."

"Now?" he asked, his eyes burning into mine.

How could I resist him? "Now," I told him. He stood quickly with me in his arms. I laughed at his haste. "Anxious, are we?"

"Hell yes! I've been dying to see your toy." He carried me into the bedroom again and while I was busy swooning over that he dropped me on the bed. Before I could recover from the surprise at the speed with which he was moving, he was tugging off my shorts. God, he was excited. I loved it.

"You're crazy," I told him, but it was a good crazy. I pulled off my shirt and Edward watched me for a minute, his gaze hungry. He quickly pulled off my panties and then shed his clothes seconds later. I watched him, that gorgeous man who was so anxious to be with me, before I reached into my nightstand and got the car.

Edward was staring at it like it was an Academy Award or something. I laughed at him and tried to get him out of his daze. "Go get the lotion, Edward. I'm not doing anything until you are."

He was in and out of the bathroom in a blink of an eye and I giggled at him. So anxious. It was awesome. He hurried back to the bed and actually launched himself over me, landing next to me and jiggling the hell out of the bed. Well, I was too, because I was laughing at how cute and excited and ridiculous he was all the same time. "I can't believe how excited you are," I told him.

"You've been taunting me with that car for weeks now," he pointed out. Well, I wouldn't exactly call it taunting. Teasing maybe. "Now show me how it works."

I gave him the car. He held it in his palm like it was something precious. He was hilarious. "The two back wheels rotate. One for each bullet." He turned one of the wheels and the bullet buzzed on the bed. Edward stared at it and smiled.

"That's pretty powerful." He picked it up and held it his palm. I grinned as I watched the expression on his face. He turned on the other bullet and watched it jump on the bed.

"I know," I told him happily. Best toy ever.

"So, do you start it on low or just go to town?" he asked.

Like I had the patience for the slow build. Only with him. "Just go to town, usually. Why waste time? I know what works for me."

He turned both wheels and the bullets stopped. "Will you show me?" he asked.

I could do this. It was sexy as hell that he wanted to watch me. I took the car and spread my legs. Edward gulped and licked his lips. He was so hot. I took the first bullet and rubbed it against me, getting it wet before I slid it inside myself. His eyes got wider as he watched it disappear. I placed the other bullet on my clit. My eyes stayed on his the whole time, because his focus on me was a beautiful thing.

"Well?" I wasn't doing this alone. Maybe another time.

Edward shook his head and focused on my face. "Well what?"

"Your turn," I reminded him. Lotion up, cowboy.

He looked blank for a moment and then he got it. He took the lotion and put some into his hand. God that was sexy. He wasn't even touching himself yet and I was getting turned on.

"Ready?" he asked.

I licked my lips and nodded. "Yes, I'm ready." He fisted his cock and I placed my fingers on the wheels. "Go," I told him, before turning them full speed. It wouldn't take me long but I didn't care. The beauty of this toy was that I could come again pretty quickly if I kept it running. Edward began working his cock. I watched in fascination as those beautiful fingers moved up and down that gorgeous cock. I moved my own hand down and pressed the bullet harder on my clit. It wasn't going to be long at all.

I moaned and felt the pulses moving through my body. I thrust up against my toy and watched as Edward began to work his cock faster.

"Edward, I'm going to come," I managed to say as I felt that tell-tale tightening start in my thighs.

"Go ahead, baby. I'm right behind you," he told me. That was all I needed. I cried out as the feeling took me over. I clamped around the bullet inside which only made me come harder as all parts of me were stimulated. Edward groaned and came, shooting all over my leg and stomach. Damn that was mind-blowing. I'd never, ever shared something like that with anyone. I was so happy it was Edward that I could let myself go with, and that he could do so with me as well.

"I'm sorry," he told me. Sorry? For what? Then I got it when he grabbed some tissue and wiped his come off me. He better never be sorry for that moment. I laughed. He was still trying to be a gentleman, despite all the naked sexy times we were having. I loved him for it.

"What are you sorry for? That was so hot. Plus, now we have a reason to shower in a bit." Like we needed one. I'd take a shower with him anytime he wanted.

He kissed me hard. "I adore you," he told me.

I couldn't stop my smile. "I like that. The feeling is mutual." I set my toy aside. I'd clean it later, when I didn't have a sexy man in my bed.

"I think that's my new favorite car," he said with a smile.

I laughed and cuddled into him. "I had a feeling you'd like it."

"Like is an understatement. I need you to point me to the company that makes it. I'll buy enough to last you a lifetime."

He was incredible. I kissed his shoulder. "Forget jewelry, sex toys are a way to a girl's heart."

"I'll give you both, baby."

Silly man. You're all I need. "I don't need either. I just need you."

"You'll have me, too," he vowed.

"I better." I could never do without him again.

"Never doubt it." He kissed me over and over. Sexy kisses that took my breath away. He caressed my stomach lightly and God the tingly feeling was starting all over again. I held his head to me and buried my fingers in his hair while I ran the other hand up and down his back. I didn't want him to leave.

A sigh slipped from my lips and Edward pulled away from me. "What?"

"Are you sure you have to go back to California?"

He chuckled. "I was just wishing that I could stay here forever."

Absolutely. Move right in. "I'm trying not to be too greedy but I just can't get enough of you."

He kissed my nose. "Greed is good." He did an amazing Gordon Gecko. Of course he did.

"I don't think I could ever get bored with you." Not possible.

"Damn right you couldn't, woman! I can entertain you in every way." He nuzzled my neck and it tickled.

"Yes, I suppose when you lose your looks and your sexy body, at least you'll still be able to make me laugh." He'd never lose his looks. He'd always be the handsomest man I'd ever seen.

He caged me in between his arms. "And when, exactly, do you think I'll be losing my looks and my sexy body?"

Never, I hope. Still, that wasn't any fun to tease him with. "Hmm, ten years?" He poked my belly. "Twenty?" Damn it he went for the tickles again. "Thirty!"

"I'd only be fifty-five then," he told me haughtily. "I'll still be hot. Like Paul Newman or Robert Redford were."

Yeah, he damn well would. "Okay, maybe forty years. Fifty tops. But if you lose the hair before then, I'll be forced to dump your old self." It was a lie, but I probably would cry if he lost his beautiful hair.

"You wait and see. I'll be a dirty, hot old man. You won't be able to get enough of me," he told me confidently.

"Pinching nurses' butts in the retirement home, leaving your dentures in glasses of water…" I screamed as he started tickling me again. It was no fair. But it was fun.

"The only butt I'm going to pinch is yours," he grunted and then did just that. I yelled. He played dirty. I liked it.

"Alright, alright, truce! You'll always be hot!" I admitted.

"Damn right I will." All of a sudden his hands left my side and then were right where they belonged. He slid to fingers into me. "You're so wet, baby."

What it did when he called me baby and touched me with those perfect fingers. "You make me that way."

"Want to get wetter?" he asked with a smirk.

Hell yes. "Oh, yeah." He didn't need any more prompting. He was up and helped me off the bed, holding my hand as we walked into the bathroom. He flipped the water on and tested it before helping me inside. "You have a real thing for this shower," I told him, not that I was complaining. His cock was rubbing against my backside and I bit back a moan.

"I have a real thing for you," he corrected me. "I just happen to like you best when you're wet."

That was not an issue with him around. I tilted my head as his lips moved over my neck, the water and his kisses gliding over my skin. "Well, that's good because I'm always wet around you."

His fingers slid inside me, feeling the truth in my words. "You sure are." He felt so good. I rested my head against his chest as he slid in and out of me. I reached between us and gripped his hard cock. "Fuck, baby, that feels so good."

Yes it did. But I wanted him inside me. I shot him a challenging smile as I released him and put my hands flat against the wall. I lifted my left leg to give him easier access. I felt him move up behind me and push inside smoothly. He thrust in and out of me, reaching around my waist to finger my clit in rhythm with his motions. It felt incredible.

His name fell from my lips and I knew it wasn't going to take long. I was still worked up from playing with my toy and watching Edward play with himself. I pushed myself back toward him and gasped as he hit a new, deeper place inside me.

His lips found my neck, scraping across my skin. He nipped my earlobe and I thought my legs would give out because it felt so good. "You're so sexy, Bella. You just don't know what it does to me see you like this, wet and open for me." Oh my God, dirty talk. I moaned as he began to fuck me faster. "Every single night I dreamed about touching you just like this, feeling you around me. You're so much better than the dream, baby."

I was going to pass out if he said anything else. I needed more though. "Edward, God, yes, keep talking," I gasped.

"I can't wait until next weekend, baby. I'm going to have you naked as often as possible and it'll be my goal to make you come at least five times a day." Five? I would die. That was okay though. There were worse things than dying from pleasure. "Maybe more than that. Eight? Ten? However much you want, Bella. I'll make you come with my fingers and my tongue and my cock. Do you want that, baby?"

"Yes!" I yelled. He was fucking me so hard now and his magic fingers were stroking my clit furiously.

"I'm going to fuck you in the hot tub, and over the pool table and in the bath tub, because I know how much you like to be wet, Bella." Oh my God. Yes. All those places and more. Please, Edward. Please. "I'm going to make love to you in front of the fire. I'll worship you all night long. Do you want that, baby?" His voice was the sexiest thing I'd ever heard in my entire life.

"Uh huh," I forced myself to make some comment to go with the moans and sex noises. Our bodies were crashing together so hard. He was so amazing.

"You know what else I'm going to do, Bella?" No. I wanted to know, though. I was so close. I shook my head. "I'm going to spank you again, because you like that, don't you naughty girl?"

God, yes. "Fuck!" I screamed as I clamped around him. I smacked the tile. Edward's arm tightened around my waist which was good because I didn't think I could stand on my own. His cock pounded into me, harder with each thrust and he let out his own yell as he finally emptied himself inside me. I was a shaking mess and he was holding on to me tightly. His cock left me and he turned me to face him.

I put my arms around him and held on for dear life. I was gloriously spent. "It just gets better, doesn't it?" How was it even possible?

He chuckled. "Too much better might kill us but it'd be a hell of a way to go."

I smiled at him and he bent to kiss me. While I could die happy right now, I didn't want to go without having a hell of a lot more of him. "Let's live awhile longer. I'm not remotely done with you, Cullen. You made a lot of promises there a couple of minutes ago and I'm going to see that you keep them."

He kissed my nose and then along each cheek. "I always keep my promises, Bella." His voice was so husky, so sexy.

"I'll hold you to that." And I'll hold you, Edward. For as long as you'll let me. I'm yours in every way.

* * *


	35. The Saddest Word is Goodbye

My body felt like I'd run a marathon, or had hours of really good sex, which was the case, thankfully, so Edward and I determined to spend the rest of our night chastely, or as chastely as the two of us could be, which likely wasn't very chaste. Not that I remotely minded. I decided to introduce him to the wonder that is the Lifetime Movie of the Week and he was laughing his adorable ass off.

After a particularly ridiculous overacted scene with a daughter forbidden to see her older boyfriend, I turned to Edward. "Would your life end if you were unable to see me for the weekend?"

Edward gave me a look. "First of all, it was the girl that said that, not the guy. Second of all, depends on what weekend. Next weekend when we're heading to the cabin? Hell yes I'd die."

Shit, so would I. Nothing better keep us from that. "Well I guess you better not get in trouble when you go home."

Edward tickled me lightly. "I never get in trouble. It's always Emmett. And though Mom is scary, I'd totally be willing to face her wrath to get to you."

He was so cute when he pretended like he'd stand up to his mom. "Ooooooh, you'd sneak away anyway? You're such a rebel."

Edward grinned at me. "What do you know about being a rebel, Police Chief's daughter?"

Silly Edward, a policeman's kid has to be sneaky and rebellious. "A lot, actually. I had to do plenty of sneaking because I _was_ the Police Chief's daughter."

"Oh yeah? Did you sneak any guys into the house?" he challenged.

As if! My dad would have killed me. He'd still kill me. I glanced around to make sure Chief Swan hadn't heard that and come running before slapping Edward's arm for scaring me. "No, I did not sneak guys in. No guy was that daring."

He kissed my neck and I leaned into him. God that felt good. "I would be that daring, Bella. You could sneak me in anytime."

That was so hot. I made a noise and ran my fingers through his hair as he tasted my skin. "Well, we've just established that you're a rebel, so it's nice that you'd go against the norm."

"Anything for you," he assured me, which earned him a kiss. His arms wrapped around me and as usual I was lost in him. I felt a sure sign that my Edward was getting excited against my leg and I couldn't hold back the moan. My legs would protest but the rest of me didn't give a shit. He could take me now and I'd be okay with it. We still needed to break in that table and the couch and the kitchen counter and…

"Jesus, you two, you had all day and you're still going at it?" Ali's irritated voice cut off my train of thought and my wanton rubbing of myself all over Edward's leg. Was she crazy? What did she think we'd be doing left to our own devices all day long?

"What would you be doing if you were me?" I asked her with a grin.

Alice laughed and nodded. "Good point. I would say carry on but I really need to eat something, so if you want to carry on, go back in your bedroom."

Edward smiled and moved me a little so I wasn't right over his erection. "No, that's okay, we're taking a break."

"It doesn't look like you're overly successful," Alice rightly commented before going into the kitchen. "Pizza! Can I have some?"

"Of course," we both told her.

Alice shook her head at us. "That was weird, but thank you both."

Oh man, I had to tell her about Newton and Edward's jealousy over him. It was still so cute to me. "You'll never guess who delivered it to us."

Alice put her food in the microwave to heat. "I don't know. Emmett? Have you turned him into a millionaire delivery guy?"

Edward laughed at that. "Not quite," I told her. "It was Mike." Edward scowled and I giggled at his annoyed expression.

"Mike Newton?" Alice asked, as she came from the kitchen with her plate of pizza and dropped into the recliner. "Does he work at Antonio's now?"

Like I'd order from there if he did. "No, one of the freshmen does or something and he was there when my call came in so he brought it to me. He tried to pay for it and everything."

Ali threw back her head and laughed. "Oh that's rich! What did you do?" she asked Edward.

"I loudly demanded to know if our food was here and I may have put on a hat to disguise myself and kissed her neck in front of him," he replied, kissing my neck again for good measure to demonstrate, or to drive me crazy. Probably both.

Alice howled with laughter. "That's great! I bet he just about died. He finally thought he was going to get some alone time with Bella only to have Edward fucking Cullen there marking his territory like a dog. Fabulous!"

I sighed. "He didn't see that it was Edward, not that that matters. Hopefully he got the hint." I was going to have to lay down the law if he hadn't gotten it through his thick skull by now.

Alice shook her head. "You better hope so!"

"He better hope so," Edward interjected. "What's his deal anyway? How long has he had a crush on you?" he demanded.

Like I had a clue? He'd always been there, bugging me. "I don't know."

Alice chuckled. "Try since day one. Even though his best friend was dating her, he'd always find reasons to talk to her. He walked in on her changing more than once and it was always an accident." Alice just had to tell him that. She laughed at the glare I shot her. "Right, like any of us believed that."

I turned to look at Edward. "Remember me asking you about getting rid of a stalker?" Edward nodded. "That was referring to him. He really upped his game lately, asking me out and telling me not to say no, to give him a chance." Seriously, who did that?

"Well, we both know I have a hard time getting rid of stalkers," Edward joked. I poked him in the stomach and he laughed. "For real, though, if he's a problem I'll happily do something. Maybe we could send Emmett after him." Though he appeared to be joking, there was a hard look in his eyes that told me that all was not okay.

I touched his cheek. "Don't even worry about him, Edward. I think you sent him a pretty clear message today and if you didn't, well, I'll make it clear next time instead of running away from him."

Edward scowled. "You'd think running away from him would be enough of a hint."

"You would, wouldn't you?" Alice asked. "He's just one of those doesn't take no for an answer type of guys."

Edward looked concerned. "Baby, that kind of guy can be dangerous. Maybe I should get you…"

I silenced him with a kiss. Mike was not an issue, now or ever. "He's harmless, Edward. He's persistent but not dangerous."

"It's true," Alice supplied. "He couldn't hurt a fly and he would never try anything out of fear of Rose anyway."

Enough of this Mike talk. I thought it was funny but clearly Edward didn't. I couldn't blame him, though. If some girl was sniffing around him, hell, when some girl was sniffing around him, I'd hate it. Time for a subject change. I leaned my head against Edward's shoulder and faced my friend. "So did you talk to Jasper?"

She scowled. "Sort of. He texted me to say that he was doing some family thing but he was hoping we could talk tonight." She glanced at the clock. "I should hear from him in about an hour."

"Do you know what you're going to say?" I wondered.

"Not really. I just need to hear what he has to say and go from there." Alice shrugged. "It's not like we can be anything more than friends anyway. He's in high school and he's in Texas. Two big strikes right there."

Edward squeezed me. "I don't know. I think the distance thing can be worked with and age is nothing but a number, right?" We had to work with the distance. We would, though.

Alice laughed. "The distance thing can work for you because you're a millionaire who can afford to come see Bella whenever you have the urge. And seventeen is a shitty number."

"Seventeen is actually my favorite number," he pointed out. "Maybe it's a good sign."

Alice laughed. "Go figure, I do get something right, but it's completely the wrong thing."

That was kind of funny, that Jasper's age matched Edward's favorite number. That gave me the opportunity to ask something I'd been wondering. "Why is seventeen your favorite number?" I asked. "I don't think you've ever said."

He laughed, thankfully. I did kind of worry when I slipped now and then and admitted just how much I knew about him from interviews. "I have, but never in context. Seventeen is when I filled out, grew up and got more confident in myself. It's the year I became the Edward that the public sees."

I liked all of Edward, the famous one and the regular guy. I kissed him softly. "I like that Edward, but I would have liked the geeky Edward too."

He gave me another kiss for that. "I'm glad to hear that. I would have been scared to death of you if you'd approached me with all your sexy innuendo back then."

What a thought that was, nerdy little Edward running away from me. "I can just picture you running away screaming, or rejecting my request to play with you."

"I would never reject any of your requests to play with me," he responded, tickling me again.

Alice groaned. "You two are killing me."

I felt bad so I sat up and straightened my shirt. I didn't want to rub my happiness in her face. "Sorry, Alice."

"Yeah, sorry," Edward agreed.

She laughed. "It's okay. I'm honestly glad to see Bella so happy. I don't think I've ever seen her like this before."

"Ever?" Edward asked, grinning at me.

"Nah. She never had that glow with Tyler. They got along and all but giddy happiness? Not that I recall."

It was the truth. I'd never fallen this hard or fast. "I told you it's never been like this for me before."

"Me either, baby." His words warmed me and I smiled up at him as I played with his hair.

"Okay, you two are going to make me nauseous and my stomach is already fluttering with nerves over this Jasper thing." Alice stood and put her plate away. "I think I'm going to go to my room and give you two more time to…" she cut herself off when a slamming noise happened and Rose stormed into the room.

"Don't you dare follow me, Cullen!" she shouted. "You're not invited in." Rose was pissed. Her nostrils were flaring and I wondered what had set her off.

"I'm not a vampire, so I hardly think that's going to stop me," he replied as he followed her down the hallway. He stopped in the living room and glared at her. "What is your problem anyway? I did what I had to do to keep you from getting arrested!"

Arrested? I should have known it would come down to something like that.

"Maybe I wanted to get arrested!" she shouted back at him. I looked at Edward who looked just as baffled as I was. He shrugged and turned back to watch the show.

"Why would you want to get arrested?" Emmett demanded. "I've been arrested and I can tell you that it's not much fun."

"Well you keep on getting arrested so you must get some jollies out of it!" she yelled in response. I knew she liked Emmett's getting in trouble but never knew she wanted to get in any herself. "I could have ended that bitch with one punch."

Emmett made a noise. "She was a cop, Rosie. I doubt you could have taken her with one punch and even if you could, you'd get in a shitload of trouble for assaulting an officer. Even I have never done that one." Rose wanted to punch a cop? What in the hell was going on here?

"Stop calling me Rosie! She deserved to get punched after the way she was ogling you like I wasn't there and hadn't been half naked when she walked up! Did she think I just rode around topless all the damn time? She was hitting on you right in front of me and you just let her!" She glared at him and jabbed him in the chest. "If you're harboring some stupid thoughts of a threesome and handcuffs, you better get that idea out of your thick skull right now!"

I knew for a fact she wouldn't mind the handcuffs, but Rose would never share. That wasn't her style. Nor mine, of course.

"Excuse me!" Alice shouted, making the combatants stop their yelling at look at her. "Not that we're not enjoying the show, but could you please fill in the blanks so we know what in the hell is going on? It's like we're walking into the middle of a movie and missed all the good parts. Do tell!" Damn right, Alice! Get us the story. Thank you.

"Seriously, you two, perhaps you could stop yelling and tell us what happened so we can tell you who's right and who's wrong." Edward's suggestion made me and Alice laugh but Emmett and Rose weren't amused.

"Bros before…" Emmett didn't get to finish the thought before Rose smacked him upside his head. "Beautiful women, bro," he ended up finishing the sentence the wrong way but preserving his hide, for the moment.

"Depends on what you did," Edward responded.

"What I did was bring your whining ass up here to fix things with your girl. You owe me, remember?" Emmett pointed out. I had to laugh at the expression on Edward's face, like he was being asked to pick between both of his favorite meals.

"Alright, yes you did and I can't thank you enough." Edward told him. Emmett looked pleased. "Why don't you explain to us what happened?"

"Okay." Emmett sat down next to where Edward and I were sitting and Rose sat on the arm of Alice's recliner. "We drove all over the place and I let Rosie have a turn." He shot her a smile. "She definitely knows how to handle a stick." Oh Lord help us all.

"Damn right I do," she replied, glaring at him. "I drive it better than you do."

"Please, Rosie, let's not be silly." He leaned over and patted her knee while she smacked at his hand. "Everything was going fine and dandy for quite awhile. We talked and had lunch and dinner between treks around Washington. Seriously, dude, we've been all over this state I think."

Rose rolled her eyes at that. "Just the northwestern part, exaggerator."

"Whatever. We get to this park and we decided to chill there, got out, walked and talked a bit before heading back to the car because the park closes after dark or something lame. Anyway, we get to the car and I make my move."

"Ha!" Rose interrupted. "I made the move."

"So you admit you want me," he pointed out, smiling wide. Damn, he'd gotten one over on her. That was rare to see.

Rose opened her mouth and shut it. "I was bored," she replied. Sure Rose. I fought not to roll my own eyes at that one. "All that driving made me horny. You just happened to be right there."

Who did she think she was fooling? I burst out laughing and got her glare turned on me. "Shut it." I zipped my lip but couldn't stop smiling at that one.

"Anyway, Rose attacks me and I'm receptive to the idea, so we're making out in my car. Shirts come off and I'm going for the gold when there's a knock on my window. I roll it down and there's this policewoman standing there. She tells us that we have to leave the park. I wasn't about to argue with the law so I told her we'd go."

"Ha!" Rose shouted again. "She was running her eyes up and down his bare chest and he was grinning at her and talking about how easy it was to get carried away and surely she'd understand because she was a sexy woman herself. It was disgusting and it pissed me right off!"

"Rosie, I was trying to appease the officer so she didn't arrest you for public indecency!" Emmett protested.

"Me? You were just as shirtless as I was."

"But I'm allowed to be shirtless, I'm a dude. Your perfect tits were right there and I knew she'd have a complex about them. You know how women get when they're jealous," he turned to Edward who shook his head. It was cute that he didn't want to get involved.

"Traitor," Emmett told his brother.

"Don't think your flattery is going to get you a view of them anytime soon," Rose hopped back into the conversation, crossing her arms over her chest to show him just how little he would be seeing.

"Anyway, everything was going swimmingly and she was totally going to let us leave without a problem when Thorny here decides to let loose with a tirade over her checking me out."

"She was practically molesting you, Emmett!" Rose stood up and began pacing around the room. "She didn't once meet your eyes, she kept touching your fucking bicep, commenting on your tattoos and how hot your car was…it was beyond inappropriate!" Hearing Rose talk about inappropriate behavior was very amusing.

"And telling her that if she didn't stop touching me you'd shove her baton up her ass wasn't inappropriate? You threatened a police officer Rose," he pointed out.

"Damn right I did. She was touching what was mine." Rose looked panicked at that admission and she clapped her hands over her mouth to try to take back the words we'd all heard plain as day.

Emmett grinned. "So, I'm yours, am I?" Rose shook her head and he touched her leg again. "Don't worry, baby, I am yours. You don't have to worry about models or actresses or hot police chicks."

That was reassuring. She smacked his hand off her leg. "I'm not worried about anything! And I'm not worried about some damn policewoman either. I could have taken her."

"Of course you could, Rosie," he cooed. She kicked at him and he sat back. "Anyway, after Rose went off on her, I was forced to turn on the old Cullen charm, which of course worked perfectly, which pissed Rosie right off."

"She gave you her number and told you to give her a call when you'd ditched me and you took it," she hissed. Damn, that was bad. I was surprised he'd managed to hold her back.

"And I threw her number out of the car the instant we hit the road, didn't I?"

"So? I would rather have gone to jail than endured her bitchy remarks about getting rid of me. She just wanted to ride in your car."

Emmett laughed. "She just wanted to ride me in my car, Rosie, and that's why you're so pissed off."

Rose sniffed. "I don't care what you do, or who you do," she responded. Nobody believed that for a second.

"Yes you do," he told her, grinning again. "You're possessive of me and it's sexy as hell. Let's go back and break the car in all the way." Wow, sex in a fancy sports car. Maybe one day Edward and I could…calm down Bella.

"I'm not breaking in anything with you!" she shouted again. "You had your shot and you blew it. Why don't you ask the cop to help you with it?"

Emmett glared at her. "Maybe I will. I can just go back and get her number off the side of the road and…"

"Like hell you will," she told him and then they were kissing each other again. It was amazing foreplay. How they'd managed not to sleep with one another yet with that heat between them was beyond me.

"They're crazy," I told Edward, watching as Emmett's hands squeezed Rose's butt and she yanked him harder to her.

"Yeah they are, baby," he responded, just as fascinated as Alice and I were.

"Well, if anybody's still interested, I'm on Rose's side," Alice inserted, breaking up the action. Rose pulled away from Emmett and released his shirt.

"Of course you are," she said with a triumphant smile.

"Yeah, she's only on your side because she hates me," Emmett supplied. "I think Sesame Street did a special on stranger danger and pedophiles, maybe you should watch that for some tips so you're not caught." Holy shit, he did not just say that.

Alice glared at him while Rose hit him again. I wondered if I should do something. "The only stranger in danger from me is you." Edward laughed as Alice threatened his huge brother. I had to admit it was a funny sight but I wasn't going to laugh.

"So, whose side are you on, Edward? You've heard the whole story now. You know that I kept Rosie from going to jail and that she wants me." Emmett smiled around the room as he declared that.

"Uhhh, I'm pleading the fifth," Edward replied.

I laughed as Edward burrowed into me, avoiding answering. "You wuss. Fine, I'll handle it. Rose, if you went to jail for hitting a cop it could fuck up your future and I bet your parents would take your car away." Rose visibly blanched at that. "Exactly. So, while Emmett probably could have handled it without hitting on the cop, it was better that he did something to keep you from getting arrested."

"I didn't hit on her! I just let her hit on me. There's totally a difference," he supplied, pouting.

"Whatever you say, Emmett. Now, if you'll excuse us, Edward and I had a long day and we're going to go to bed." Let them knock the entire apartment down, just leave me to my sexy man.

"Goodnight. I'll see you at eight," Edward told his brother.

"It is pretty late, Rosie. We should get to bed," Emmett suggested. That fool. He had to know he wasn't getting anywhere with her after all that, despite the kiss.

Rose laughed at him. "Do you honestly think you're sleeping with me tonight? Whether you did it to save me or not, I'm not sleeping with you right after you hit on some girl in front of me." Edward was gaping at them so I tugged him away.

"Come on, Edward. We don't have any sleeping arrangement to argue over." I would spend every second I could in bed with him. "Let's go to bed."

"Yeah, you need some sleep I'm sure and…"

Sleep was no longer on the menu. "I didn't say let's go to sleep."

Edward grinned and pulled me down onto the bed. No cops were going to interrupt us, for which I was very thankful.

Xoxoxoxoxox

I was rudely woken from a sound sleep by my alarm clock blaring. I slapped at it and buried my head in my pillow as Edward chuckled and got out of bed. I don't know, I guess I felt like maybe if I stayed in bed he'd have to stay here. Dumb, but it was all I had at the moment. I finally sighed and hauled myself up to wait for him when I heard the shower shut off. I could have gone in and jumped him again but I'd never let him leave then and I had to, even though it was going to suck.

Edward came out of the bathroom and smiled at me, opening his arms. I ran into them and burrowed against his chest, biting back the words I wanted to say, to beg him not to go. I knew I'd see him again soon but I just couldn't fathom the next few days without him. I was ridiculous but it was how I felt.

"It's only a few days, baby." He reminded me. He was right and I knew it. It didn't make it any easier to let him go though.

"I know," I mumbled against him. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too, Bella. I'll call you every couple of hours and text and email and annoy the hell out of you until I have you in my arms again."

That was hilarious. Like I could ever get tired of him. I smiled up at him because I knew he needed it. "You could never annoy me."

He smiled back at me. "Good to hear." That reminded me. I needed to give him something so I ran to the bathroom, brushed my teeth and grabbed a bottle of lotion from underneath my sink. I handed it to him and he laughed. "Thank you." He kissed me hard and I was grateful I'd taken the time to brush my teeth.

I laughed at his enthusiasm over the lotion. "I figured it would tide you over until you came back to me."

He kissed me again. I would never tire of that. "Everything else pales in comparison to being with you."

He was so amazing. "Well, I figure you can smell me and maybe you can hear me so…" had I just asked Edward to call me for some more phone sex? Yes, yes I had. Where did these balls come from?

He looked delighted. "Are you saying you'd like some more phone sex, baby? You can't wait until I get here on Friday?" I had to admit it so I nodded. "I love that," he told me.

"I do, too," I told him. I loved so much more than just that. I was crazy about him.

Edward handed me his phone which confused me. "Could you put your number in here?"

Oh, of course. He must have deleted me after I went crazy on him. "Did you delete me after the other day?"

Edward shook his head. "No, baby. I got a special phone that's just for you to use, when I wasn't sure about who you were and what we might be. I didn't want you to have my number if things didn't work out so…" he broke off as I laughed at him. I couldn't blame him for not wanting to give his phone number to some random girl, even if said random girl was me.

"So where's the special phone? Did you destroy it?" I asked. I wouldn't be surprised.

"No. I mean, I thought about it but Emmett took it away." He looked nervous at my reaction. He was so cute.

I nodded. "Okay, well, are you sure you want me to have your number now? I kind of like the idea of a phone that's just mine."

He laughed and hugged me. "I'll keep the Bella phone but I want you to have my main number, too." Bella phone. I liked that. I put my number into his phone and Edward took it and dialed, making my ring. "There, now you can reach me anytime."

I smiled. "I like that."

"Me too, baby." He sighed. "Emmett's here."

Okay, he had to leave and I had to let him, without making it difficult. Four days. I could make it. "Okay. I'm not going to get upset. You'll be back in four days."

"Yes, I will." He pushed my hair back, his fingertips ghosting over my cheek. "I'll always come back to you, Bella."

I smiled and kissed him. "I'm not going to say goodbye to you out there in front of anyone." I couldn't do that.

"Good, because it's not goodbye. It's see you soon." Edward gave me a once over and noticed that I had on one of his shirts. "Did you steal that?"

Yeah I had. I wanted a little piece of him with me. "It smells like you. I wanted something…" he kissed me before I could explain it any further.

"I love that you wanted something that smells like me, baby. I'll give you anything you like. Want some more shirts?" He was too sweet but one was enough, for now. "Alright. Just checking."

I hugged him and he held me close. "I'll see you soon, Bella." He kissed me until the knocking on my door penetrated our skulls. "I have to go."

"I know," I told him. He kissed me again and I willed back the tears. Just a few days.

"Bella, you're…I…you're my girl," he stammered and it was sweet. I was his girl so I nodded. "I just want you to always remember that, even when I'm not here, I'm still with you in here." He touched my heart, physically and figuratively.

"Yes, you are." He had to know that.

He held my hand over his chest. "And you're right here. You're my one, Bella."

His one? What was that? I kissed him before asking. "I don't know what that means."

"I'll tell you next week," he told me, kissing me hard as the knocking on my door got louder. "Just remember it, okay?"

"I will." I'd remember and I'd be wondering about it until he told me.

"See you soon," he told me, opening the door. His brother peered in at me.

Emmett hit him on the shoulder. "About time, bro. Sorry to take him away, Bella, but I'll have him back you on Friday."

He better. "I'll hold you to that, Emmett. Don't make me hunt you down. I'll bring Rose."

He laughed. "Is that a threat or a promise? No worries, Eddie here wouldn't let me keep him away if I tried, not that I would."

"Good. Bye, Emmett." I looked at my guy and tried to tell him everything that I'd yet to say. "Bye, Edward." His lips were on mine and I was holding on to him as if Emmett was going to physically rip him from my arms.

"Maybe I could…" Edward broke off as Emmett did indeed pull him away from me. I had to laugh.

"You have to go to your meeting or I'll get blamed and I've got enough shit with Mom pissed at me. Suck it up, Edward. You'll see her soon."

"I know, but…"

I could see how torn he was and I wasn't going to be responsible for hurting his career so I kissed him one more time and let him go. "Go. The sooner you leave, the sooner you'll be back."

His expression was priceless and I had to laugh. I could see he wanted to argue with me. "Hurry back to me Edward."

"I will." He fought Emmett who released him and I was in his arms again, kissing him and hugging him tight, showing him what he had to look forward to.

"Come back and you'll get lots more of that."

"Count on it," he told me, his eyes burning into mine as he started to back away.

"I got him," Emmett told me, steering his brother toward the door. He raised his voice. "See you soon, Rosie. We'll pick up where we left off." She didn't reply and Edward didn't bat an eye, still staring at me. I managed to say "love you" but the words were so quiet only I could hear them.

"What?" he asked. I wasn't brave enough to tell him again so I shook my head. Soon. Emmett dragged him out the front door and I waved at him. He waved once before jogging down the stairs. I heard the engine roar and stayed there until I knew the car was gone.

My chest hurt with unshed tears but I wasn't going to cry. I had more with Edward in those two days than I'd ever hoped or expected to get and I had more on the way. I couldn't wait to see him again and I had some things to do before he returned. I was going to make all our fantasies come true.

I heard a door open behind me and didn't have to turn to know who was there. "Rose, we need to go shopping."

She laughed and hugged me from behind. "Damn right we do. Let's drive those Cullen boys nuts." Yes, let's.

* * *


	36. Semen

Watching Edward leave wasn't easy, but I managed to keep from crying. Okay, I managed to keep from crying in front of him. I did cry when I took my shower, but that was because he'd just been in there and smelled like him and my mind flashed to the two showers we'd taken together. Of course I felt sorry for myself that he was gone. But he'd be back in a few days. I just had to keep reminding myself of that and I'd get through.

Part of me wanted to skip class this morning, but I'd skipped too many last week when I'd been wallowing thinking Edward hated me and would never talk to me again. Had it only been four days since my freak out and our fight? Everything had changed so drastically. Thank God for that.

I sat in my Chaucer class pretending to give a damn about the Monk's Tale when my phone buzzed. I smiled when I saw it came from Edward's new number, or his old number that I just now had. He'd only been gone for about an hour and he was already texting me.

**I miss you already.**

I fought back a groan. I missed him too, so much that I ached. And not the good ache my body had going on from all the sexing we'd had. No, this was heartache and even though it was a good heartache, it still sucked.

_I miss you, too. Come back to me soon._

Was it wrong to be picturing Edward's sexy, wet naked body in my shower while we were discussing a tale told by a monk? Probably, but I really didn't care. I'd rather think about Edward Cullen than tragedy any day. The true tragedy was that he was away from me. Who cared about Lucifer? Okay, I might when I went to hell for thinking about sex during the Monk's Tale, but who could blame me? Nobody, that's who.

**I will, baby. I'm counting down the hours until I can see you again.**

Me too but I'd stopped counting when I realized it was over a hundred. That was a lot of Edwardless hours. I wanted to kiss him, right now. My lips were lonely, along with other parts of me.

_Seeing is good, touching and tasting is better._

So much better. Worlds and worlds better than this stupid, boring class. I should have gone to California with Edward. What was one week of missed classes? I'd still graduate. Ugh. This was bad.

 **You're teasing me already, naughty girl? You really must want that spanking when I get you alone.** Holy shit, that was worse! I let out a little squeak and covered my mouth when my teacher looked at me.

Before I could yell at him for turning me on in class, another text came through. **Apparently Rose and Em are getting their own cabin, so I'll be free to have my way with you anytime and anyplace.**

We would? That was awesome. I'd have to check with Rose to see if this was true and if she was still going to as she and Emmett hadn't exactly been cuddle buddies last night when we went to bed. Still, nine whole days alone with Edward in a cabin? I felt like I was boneless and ready to slide out of my chair. That would be great.

_You can always have your way with me, anytime and anyplace, but I'm glad to hear that we won't have to worry about hearing those two going at it. And it's not teasing if I plan to follow through._

I needed to talk to Rose and Ali about going shopping this week to make that happen. I already had the stuff to let Edward live out his teacher fantasy. Naughty schoolgirl wouldn't be so difficult but I could use something that looked uniform like for that. And I needed sexy underwear. Lots of it. How I'd pay for that I'd yet to work out. Maybe I'd forego the underwear. Edward would probably like that.

**I'll hold you to that, baby. Are you in class?**

Gah, baby again. Every time he called me that, my heart fluttered.

_Yes and it's getting very difficult to pay attention._

But I so didn't care. Let them all be depressed while I was horny and excited.

**Alright, baby, be a good school girl now and a naughty one for me later. I'm going to sleep for awhile before it's my turn at the wheel. I'll talk to you soon.**

Damn it. He needed to sleep and I knew that but he left me with THAT? Yeah, I really needed to go shopping. I'd show him a naughty school girl.

_Get your rest, handsome. I'll be as naughty as you want later._

Now I could spend the rest of class pondering just how naughty that might be. Edward Cullen was driving me crazy but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Xoxoxoxoxox

It had been a long day. Edward had managed a brief phone call when they made a pit stop for gas and food but they were in a rush to get home in time to get some sleep before his meeting with his agent. I understood but it didn't make me miss him any less. Of course, I'd loved hearing the excitement in his voice that it was his turn to drive the Venom. I really needed to see that car.

I got home and found Rose and Ali sitting in the living room just staring at one another. What in the hell was that about?

"What's going on you two?"

"Oh, I'm so glad you're here! She's been refusing to talk about Emmett until you got here." Alice bounced in her seat. "So I refused to talk about Jasper and we're having a Mexican standoff."

A Mexican standoff? Where did she come up with this shit? "Well, I'm here, so somebody spill." I flopped on the couch next to Alice who exchanged a glance with Rose. Some kind of silent communication went on and then they both turned on me.

"You first," they said as one.

Damn it. Why did I have to go first? They knew what happened with me. "I'm with Edward. You saw it. End of story. Next."

"Oh no you don't, missy." Rose leaned back and tented her fingers. "Promises were made back when you first started talking to your mystery man, promises that if he was Edward and if you fucked him, you'd spill. So, spill."

I gulped. Yeah, I had promised that but that was back before I knew him and before I knew how I felt about him. "I can't, Rose. I mean, I can, but, I don't want to. He's…it's…it's not just sex, you know? It's more than that."

"Anybody could see that, Bella. We're not asking for details, exactly…" Alice trailed off and pouted prettily. "You could give them, though, and we wouldn't judge. We just want to know, you know, was it good? Did you manage not to pass out when you saw him naked?"

"Is his cock huge like his brother's?" I gaped at Rose and she held up a hand. "No, I didn't see it, but I felt it and let me just say that riding that man is going to be a complete pleasure, when I have him so madly in love with me that he can't see straight."

I had to laugh at my best friends attempting to pump me for info. And I got it. I'd be doing the same thing were the situation reversed. Answering some of the questions was okay, but I wasn't going to give them the nitty gritty details. Those were mine and his alone.

"No, I didn't pass out when I saw him naked but he is more gorgeous than even I could imagine. It was beyond good and even though my body is sore as hell right now, I wish he was here so I could jump him again. His cock is not your concern, but I have no complaints."

Rose and Alice both laughed at my rapid fire response to their questions. Hell, while I was at it. "I need to go shopping."

Rose already knew of course but Alice didn't and she could barely suppress her surprise and delight at that statement. It wasn't that I hated shopping; it was that I was one of those people that knew what they want, got it and was done. I didn't feel the need to browse like the two of them did.

"Shopping for what exactly?" Alice asked, bouncing in her seat.

Crap. I couldn't not tell them what I needed when I needed them to help me find it. I sighed. "Edward and I, you know, have discussed some fantasies and stuff."

Rose laughed. "Oh, I very much know, sexy teacher."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Well, he might have mentioned something about a Catholic schoolgirl fantasy…"

Alice giggled. "Say no more. That one's easy."

"Fuck you with the say no more. Say lots more!" Rose demanded.

I snickered at her. "Also I was thinking I could use some more underwear and shit but maybe that's too much. I can deal with what I have."

Rose snorted. "Bullshit. We'll hit Nancy Meyer tomorrow."

My jaw dropped open. "Rose, I can't afford even one bra there, let alone…"

Rose shook her head. "It's on me, consider it a graduation present."

That was so not happening. "I'll go to Victoria's Secret. That's fine."

She smirked at me. "We'll go there too. And yes, you can primarily get your stuff there but we'll get you something special at Nancy. Don't look at me like that. My parents informed me that they'd be on a cruise during graduation so I should buy myself a present. I'm going to buy all of us presents."

I felt a pang for her and saw that Alice did as well. Her parents had always been absent but for them not to even come to her graduation from college? Ali's parents were already planning our grad party. My father was going to be here and even Renee had been making noise about possibly coming out. I was pretty sure that was just for show, though and she'd talked about it months ago. I didn't want her here.

"Rose…"

"Not a word, Bella. They won't give me a thought when they're out cruising the high seas but they'll think about me when they're paying their credit card bill. It's fine."

It wasn't fine but I knew better than to argue with that tone. Plus, I remembered what Edward had said and it was time to take the attention off me. "By the way, did you and Emmett really get your own cabin?"

Rose chuckled. "Yeah, I figured it would be better. I don't want to cockblock you. If you want to screw in the kitchen, you don't need me or Emmett wandering in."

The visual that those words brought on made my mouth water but I tried to focus. "Are you sure? I mean, you want to drive the guy nuts. If you're alone with him, odds are good you'll give in. Didn't you almost last night?"

Alice giggled. "Yeah, it sounded like if the lady cop hadn't come up, you'd have screwed right there in the car."

Rose sighed. "I'm not going to lie, I probably would have. It was torture all day long. You should have seen him driving that car, you guys. It took everything I had in me not to straddle him the first time he shifted gears and took her over a hundred. That engine, those seats and those fine fucking hands in control of that machine…" she broke off and looked dreamy.

"So what did you do?" I asked. "How did you resist?"

"It took every ounce of willpower I had. I kept reminding myself that he's a fuck em and forget em type of guy."

"You're a fuck em and forget em type of girl," Alice pointed out. "Why didn't you do it?"

Rose frowned. "Because it has to be on my terms. I want him more than I wanted anybody else ever. Because there's something there between us. It's this heat and passion and draw or something. I don't know. I've never felt it before."

I knew because it sounded like me talking about Edward. "You love him."

Rose gaped at me. "I do not! Where'd you get that idea?"

I bit my lip. "What you described, it sounds like me and Edward, besides the terms thing, because I don't care about that."

"Oh my God!" Alice squealed. "Did you tell him you loved him? Did he tell you? Jeez, Bella, how could you not tell us?"

I shook my head. "I didn't tell him. He didn't tell me. It's just kind of there, you know? We both danced around it. He said I'm his girl and he's not going anywhere and I'm stuck with him. I told him I'd never tire of him, agreed that I'm his, that kind of stuff. But neither of us said it." And he'd called me his one, whatever the hell that meant. He damn well better tell me soon.

"Why not?" Alice asked, looking sad.

I shrugged. "It's too early, I guess? I didn't want to freak him out if I'm misreading him. We already met under less than wonderful circumstances with me hunting him down. What if he thinks I love him because he's Edward Cullen? I just want to make sure he's sure of me before I say it." And of course there was the whole Tyler thing, but we didn't need a rehash of that. They both knew what I'd gone through and they both knew I was guarded. I couldn't help it, even though I knew Edward was nothing like him.

Rose nodded. "That's good. Everybody knows the guy should say it first."

I laughed. "I don't know that it's a written rule or anything."

Rose folded her arms. "Whatever. I will never say it first. Emmett will say it first."

Alice pointed at her and hooted. "So you want him to say it? Because you love him?"

"No!" she shouted. "I don't know! I want him to be mine, so maybe there's something more there, but I don't love him yet. He's too annoying to love."

I joined in Alice's laughter. "I don't think it works that way. You can still love him and find him annoying."

"Humph. Why are we talking about this? I have Emmett right where I want him. And if I want him to fall in love with me, then he will. But I don't. I don't think I do." She made a face. "Enough. I'll make him crazy and then I'll screw him and we'll see how it goes from there. Maybe he sucks in bed." She laughed at herself. "Okay, there's no way he does. Still, we have a long way to go before any of that crap comes into play. You and Edward the romantic ones. Emmett and I are people of action."

"People of action?" I echoed. "What the hell?"

"You know, you need to be romantically involved in order to have sex and stuff. I certainly don't. We know Emmett the soon to be former manwhore doesn't. I bet Edward didn't sleep around, did he?"

I nodded. Like me, he'd had a one night stand, but it wasn't his usual operating procedure from what he'd said. "Okay, then, I'll fuck him out of my system and probably won't want him anymore. That'll be okay." Her voice got a bit quiet at the end and I knew she was trying to convince herself.

"And if you do?"

She frowned. "Then I'll make sure he sticks around. No big deal." She focused on Alice. "Enough about me and Emmett. Your turn. Did you talk to Jasper or not?"

Ali sat up and crossed her legs. "Yes, I talked to him."

Rose and I exchanged glances. "And?" I asked. It wasn't like Alice to leave out the details. Usually she told them to you whether you wanted them or not.

Alice took a deep breath. "He apologized for deceiving me. He said once he figured out that I seriously thought he was Edward, he was already hooked on me and wasn't ready to give me up. So he kept dodging questions about names and ages and whatnot because he didn't want to lose me."

I could definitely identify with that. "And what did you say to that?"

"I said it wasn't right of him to do that to me and if he really liked me he should have come clean sooner."

"Oh, give the boy a break, Alice. You're probably his first crush." That statement got a pillow thrown at Rose's head.

"You've seen him. He's not exactly hurting for female companionship I don't think. He was mortified when his mom told him about the prom thing. He said it wasn't that he didn't want to go with me, but he'd already promised some girl before he even met me. He doesn't want to take back his word." She glared and I wondered if it was over what Jasper lying to her or over the fact that he was taking some other girl to prom. I didn't dare ask her though.

"That sucks, Ali," Rose said softly. Even she wasn't going to push her on that.

"Yeah, well, what can I say? He's too young for me, I'm not going to prom with him and I'm not waiting around for him to be age appropriate either. He claims he'll wait for me though." She made a face. "He actually used the word semantics when we were talking. What kind of seventeen-year-old uses the word semantics? I demanded to know if he was lying to me about the age thing but he claims he's not."

Her wishful thinking was both sad and cute. And I used the word semantics back then. "It'll work itself out, if you're meant to be. Look at me, for crying out loud. Somehow I've ended up with Edward Cullen. When I started out to find him, even though there was a little part of me that thought I might find him, I never thought we'd be where we are now. The best I was hoping for was for him to be my friend, to know I existed and to stand out from his millions of other fans. But here we are. He came here, for me, because he cares about me and he needed to know that I was real. If Jasper is real for you, then you need to go for it."

"Edward's not seventeen." Thank God for that. I couldn't deny that it would squick me out if he was, but I didn't know if it would deter me from his gorgeous self.

"Seventeen's not illegal," Rose pointed out. "Age of consent is sixteen here."

Alice sniffled. "It's not about legality; it's about him being sevenfrigginteen! I couldn't take him to a bar. I couldn't take him a frat party and introduce him as my seventeen-year-old boyfriend. And, he lied to me." She glanced at me. "Yes, I can see where you can see his point of view on it, but it's not something I can just forgive like that. You and Edward spent how long really talking before everything went to shit?"

I shrugged. "Two phone calls, a lot of emails, one IM, even more words."

Alice laughed. "Okay, but how many hours were the phone calls and IM?"

"A few I guess." I hadn't really counted.

"Jasper and I texted for about four or five hours every night, Bella. That's a lot of time for him NOT to tell me the truth."

"Okay, I concede that. What are you going to do then?"

She shrugged. "I still like him. A lot. He even made me laugh and smile when we were talking about him lying and stuff last night. We agreed that we'll still talk. I told him I'd be his friend." She laughed. "He said that's fine for now but he's not giving up on me."

Rose chuckled. "Sounds like he's going to come gunning for you when he turns eighteen. When is that anyway?"

Alice groaned. "Not until October. So I'll be twenty-three before he's eighteen."

"I'm telling you, you need to cougar it up," Rose told her with a grin.

"Maybe someday. I'm done with guys right now."

"Sister Mary Alice? It sounds possible, but I don't think it actually is," Rose snorted.

Ali glared at her. "I'm not joining a convent. I'm just not hopping on another joystick for awhile. I need a break after Jared anyway. I have Jasper to talk to when I need male companionship. It's enough for me for now."

"For how long though?" I asked. Alice never really went without a guy for long. When she did, she usually ended up back with Jared for awhile.

"I don't know. I want Jasper but I can't have him right now. He's too far away. If those circumstances change, well, we'll see."

"What do you mean if those circumstances change?" Rose asked, narrowing her eyes.

Alice blushed, which just about never happens. I was floored. "He says he's going to apply here."

"Well, well, the plot thickens," Rose purred. "So if he's here and he's eighteen…"

Alice shrugged. "We'll see. I'm not going to live with what if's for over a year. I'm just going to be his friend and go from there."

"Sounds reasonable," I said, because it was and because I could see that Alice was pretty much done with the conversation. "There's nothing wrong with having a good friend."

Alice nodded and Rose laughed and sat forward. "Speaking of good friends, how's Mike Newton?"

"Ugh. How did you know about that?"

"Let's just say a big birdie called this morning demanding to know if he was a threat and what should be done about him. I told him that I could kick Newton's ass with both of my feet broken so he dropped it, but I think it's safe to say your man is not a Newton fan."

I felt a warmth in my chest at the thought that Edward was that concerned. "I told him there was nothing to worry about."

Rose rolled her eyes. "That's true, but he is upping his game lately. Hopefully he took the hint yesterday but if he didn't…"

"I know. I have to tell him it's never going to happen, Edward or no Edward. I hate shit like that but I'm tired of him coming around and not taking no for an answer."

"Good. I'll help you if need be." Rose smiled. "Now, let's talk underwear…" And that was that. She and Alice were well on their way toward planning my wardrobe for the week with Edward. For once I didn't mind. I wanted to blow his mind. It would be fun to see how he reacted to me in sexy lingerie and of course the outfits. I wanted to give him everything he fantasized about. He'd already done that for me and it was beyond my wildest dreams.

Xoxoxoxoxo

"Rose, who pays over a hundred bucks for a pair of panties?" I hissed as I stared in disbelief. I couldn't believe the price tags in this place. I could only be grateful that we'd done the majority of our shopping at the mall before we hit Nancy Meyer's. I'd gotten a black lace bra and matching panties, a sexy red set and a green set that reminded me of his eyes at Victoria's Secret. I'd also gotten some black and red baby doll number that kind of freaked me out but looked pretty sexy. Alice had come through with the school girl uniform before she had to leave for class. She'd found a short gray and black plaid skirt and paired it with a black blazer with gold buttons that looked exactly like something a Catholic school girl would wear. Thigh highs and Mary Janes completed the look. I'd refused to let Rose pay for that outfit, though she'd overruled me at Vicky's. I didn't mind so much. I knew she was smarting from her parents' disinterest. But I'd been determined that the uniform was on me. I couldn't wait to see Edward's face when he saw it.

"Honestly?" she asked, looking around and lowering her voice. "Girls that Edward Cullen has dated." I sighed but she had a point. I was sure Irina spent thousands of dollars on shit like this. But I doubted Edward cared. I felt the material of this pretty hot pink nightie. It did feel good.

"He doesn't want me to be like them," I muttered.

Rose slid an arm around me. "No, he doesn't. But you asked and I answered. There's nothing wrong with buying something sexy." She touched the material and nodded. "You're getting this."

I saw something that looked like $250 on the tag and tried to grab it back but she was too fast for me. "It's too much."

Rose rolled her eyes. "For this place, that's actually cheap." She pointed out a black babydoll. "That's $850." Holy shit. Then she grabbed it and grinned. "Emmett will like it, don't you think?" How could he not? It was sheer and it would be on Rose. She grinned and muttered, "Thanks, Daddy." She was taking this graduation thing pretty hard.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

Hot lavender eyes met mine. "I'm fine, Bella. I'm just doing what they told me to do. Maybe they'll show up when I graduate med school, because then I'll officially be one of them." She made a face. "Either way, it doesn't matter." She grabbed a peach nightie and held it up to me. "Yep, that'll work."

My phone rang before I could stop her and I smiled when I saw it was Edward. She saw my face and laughed. "Go talk to the man. I'll be in here picking out things." She actually rubbed her hands together like Mr. Burns on _The Simpsons_. There wasn't time to argue with her though. I hurried out of the store as I answered.

"Hello."

"Hi, baby." God, his sexy voice gave me the shivers.

"Hi, Edward! How was your meeting?" I wondered what they talked about. Hopefully he'd tell me.

"Good. How's your day been?"

If he only knew. I laughed. "Exhausting. I'm actually shopping with Rose."

"Shopping for what exactly?" He sounded very excited, like he actually knew what I was doing. If only!

I giggled as I pictured his face when he saw me in that pink nightie Rose had just forced on me. "You'll see soon enough."

"Are you teasing me, baby?" His voice got deeper and rougher and I felt myself getting wet. Jeez, the effect he had on me was ridiculous.

"Not teasing, promising." He'd love it.

Edward made a strangled sounding noise and I smiled, knowing I'd gotten to him. Before I could tease him further, he spoke all in a rush. "Uh, Bella, I have to call you back. My mom's here."

I had to laugh at the pure terror in his tone. "You sound positively terrified."

"Emmett stole some spaghetti from her house. I only ate a little," he confessed.

How adorable was he? Though I did hope his mother wasn't going to punish him too badly for stealing her food. "Well, you better go face the music. I'll talk to you later."

"Okay. I…" he paused and I waited. "I miss you, baby."

"I miss you, too." So very much. "I'll call you when I get home."

"Okay, bye Bella."

"Bye."

Edward talking to his Mom reminded me that I had to make a call to my father when we got home. I had to tell him I wasn't going to be coming home for Spring Break and then attempt to tell him about spending the summer in Europe. I hoped he wouldn't freak out too badly. My Dad could be as scary as Edward's Mom when he wanted to be. Hopefully it'd all go well because I was determined to go. Edward and I needed the time together whenever we could snatch it. I was going to take all I could. Call me greedy, but I loved the man and I was going to be with him, no matter what anybody said.

It hit me that I hadn't played a word against him in awhile so I opened my _Words_ app to see if he'd played yet. I couldn't stop myself from laughing in triumph when I saw that he'd timed out on his move and forfeited the game. I won even though he'd been beating me by about 80 points at the time the game ended. Poor baby. I snickered as I started a new game against him. No more sexy words unless I could work them in and get points off of them. I grinned when I saw my letters. It wasn't a sexy word but I knew he'd do a double take when I played SEMEN for a double word score of 18.

I went to the game and ignored the last messages that had been sent before everything. Jeez, had it only been six days ago?

_As you can see, you're very much on my mind. Or at least part of you is. No, all of you. Sorry, it's not the sexiest of words but it does bring sex to mind so I thought you'd appreciate it._

I could say something about wanting to see his semen again soon but really that wasn't hot at all. No, best to just throw down the gauntlet and entice him if I could.

_Too bad you forfeited that game you were winning, baby, cause you're not going to be able to take me again. Well, you can definitely take me again, on every surface of the cabin, but you can't beat me at Words again. Last time was a fluke._

I giggled at the expression I pictured on his face when he read that. Would he be annoyed? Turned on? Probably both.

_Speaking of taking me, I'm still shopping. I believe you said red was your favorite color, didn't you? I might have a surprise or two for you when we get to the cabin. Three more days, Edward. I hope you're ready for me. I miss you._

I couldn't not say it, because it was true. And now I needed to get an all red nightie thing if Rose hadn't already picked one out. I wanted to knock his socks off, even though it seemed to do that in nothing but a t-shirt. He was easy to please, which was incredible considering who he was. I didn't know how I got so lucky, but I wasn't going to take it for granted. I was going to enjoy every moment I could get with Edward, in person or over the phone or computer, wherever and whenever I could get him. He was mine.

I walked back into the store and grabbed Rose away from some rack of bras. "I need something red."

She laughed and thrust a red silk nightshirt she already had set aside at me. I really kind of loved it. It was me and it was still sexy. More importantly, I thought Edward would like it. It ended about mid-thigh and looked like a shirt I guy would wear, well, if he wore red silk. I don't think I'd like a guy that did, but it would look good on me.

"That'll do," I told her.

Rose grinned. "I thought it might. On to panties!"

"I don't know how many of those I'll need," I told her.

Rose laughed so hard half the store turned to stare at her. "I have no doubt that you don't need any as far as he's concerned, but still, they're a must. Look, he could rip these right off you."

Good Lord. Not that that wasn't a hot image, because it was. "If he ripped a $100 pair of panties off me, I'd scream."

Rose smirked. "Yeah, you would."

Oh God. At this rate I might have to put them on now, because the things I was picturing were not safe for lingerie shopping. "Whatever, Rose." She added them to the pile. At least they were red. Edward wouldn't know what hit him.

* * *


	37. The Words of the Father

Rose and I grabbed a bite to eat while we were out and then returned home with our packages. Alice practically attacked us the instant we walked in the door.

"Let me see!" I thrust my bags at her and she raced into my room and started oohing and ahhing before Rose and I even got in there. "Damn, Bella, these are great!" She was holding up a barely there pair of black underwear and I winced when I saw it.

"Rose picked that out. I picked out that red nightshirt." Alice snorted at me. "And the red and black number."

"Not bad!" she said referring to the second. I was irritated that she didn't think much of the first choice but I liked it and it was more me. I thought Edward would like it too. "How much damage did you do?" Alice asked Rose.

"Let's just say Dad might regret all that money he forked out for their cruise," she said with a glittery smile.

Alice shook her head. "Fuck them; we'll have a good time at graduation without them."

"Yeah we will," I echoed. "Dad might even bring his new girlfriend. I'll have to ask him what he's planning."

Rose brightened. "Charlie with a girlfriend, will wonders never cease? Guess my dream of doing Daddy Swan will be cast to the wayside now."

I threw what I had in my hand at her, which unfortunately was a pair of underwear that fell halfway between us. Apparently flimsy panties didn't travel far, good to know. I bet trusty cotton would have at least hit her. She was laughing at me.

"What? Your dad is a total DILF and you know it, Bella." Rose loved to tease me about how hot my dad was. I just had to cut her off before…" You just know that moustache would…"

"SHUT IT!" I shouted as she and Alice dissolved in laughter. Her theories on oral sex and my dad's moustache were not to be endured. Once had been too much. "Haven't you had enough of cops this week anyway?" I asked, because if she was going to slam on me, I was damn well going to get one back at her.

She narrowed her eyes and huffed. "I should go find that whore and kick her ass on principal. Did you know that Emmett sent me texts yesterday about how he wished that he could have seen me handcuffed, though not with her around? I thought I was going to pass out in the middle of my Human Physiology class."

"Oooh, a bondage man, you two were meant to be," Alice pointed out.

"Shut up," Rose told her, but with little heat. Oh yeah, she was gone over Emmett. Not that I was surprised. "The man is driving me nuts. He sent me a picture of him shirtless. Damn him. I'm going to drive him crazy."

"Sounds like he might do the same to you," Alice said with a giggle.

"Maybe, but I'll win." I wasn't about to challenge her from the look on her face.

"Well, Bella, you're going to drive Edward to his knees in these things," Alice said, holding up the peach number that Rose had picked out. I really kind of loved that one. It was more fitting than the see-through black stuff. "Oh! You should totally wear these under your school girl outfit!" She held up this pair of lacy white panties and a matching bra. "It looks almost virginal. And put your hair in two ponytails or a braid. Think Britney Spears in that _Hit Me Baby_ video."

Rose burst out laughing. "Would you hold IT against me, Eddie?" I smacked her for that one. "Come on, that email was epic."

"What email?" Alice asked. She sounded a little sad and I immediately felt bad that she'd been left out of so much of my relationship with Edward. She was really trying hard to support me in it now and I appreciate that more than I could say.

"Remember the night we got drunk after you kicked Jared in the balls?" Alice grinned and nodded. "Well, I kind of sent Edward an email."

"You didn't!" she gasped. "Bella, you were drunk off your ass. What did you say? You're so lucky you didn't bust yourself."

I laughed. "Tell me about it." I picked up my laptop and opened my email. I wasn't going to show her everything, but Rose had read that email, so it was only fair that Alice got to. "Here."

She was giggling from the first sentence and in tears by the end. "Oh my God, that is so perfect. No wonder the guy's crazy about you. I love that you told him about me kicking Jared in the balls and explain Jasper sort of."

I chuckled. "I can't believe I managed to do it without explaining how you met and whatnot. Of course, he got kind of distracted by other things I said and didn't question me too much about it."

"Yeah, well when you ask him about anal sex, you can't blame the boy for failing to focus on other stuff," Rose drawled.

"Anal sex?" Alice screeched. "Where? What? You didn't?"

I groaned. "No, we certainly did not. I was drunken rambling on _Words_ and asked if he liked it. I have never been more mortified in my life as I was in the morning when I read that email and then what I'd sent him. Fortunately he didn't run away screaming."

Rose snorted. "I told you he wouldn't. What guy wouldn't want an email like that? That's it! I'm going to send Emmett dirty texts. If he can do it, so can I."

I grinned at her. "Their mother is with them right now, at least she was when Edward and I talked." Rose whipped her phone out and started texting, smiling evilly. I did not want to know.

Alice handed me back my computer. "Thanks for showing me this, Bella. It's awesome. If I hadn't already seen it in person, I'd know that he was the one for you. You'd never talk to Tyler or anyone else like this, even blitzed out of your mind. This is the shit you share with us, not men."

Rose nodded. "I told her that."

I moved the piles of underwear out of the way and sat on my bed. "It's the weirdest thing. Other than the first message I sent him, I've never had a problem talking to him. You'd think, out of all the guys in the world, Edward would be the hardest for me to talk to, since I wanted him for years. But he's the easiest." It still blew me away. I hadn't freaked out when I walked in my bedroom and saw him sitting here, well, not much anyway. Sure I thought I lost my mind for a minute there, but who wouldn't?

"That's because it's right," Alice said quietly. I looked at her and she shrugged. "It was really easy for me to tell Jasper anything. I know how it is."

I stood up and hugged her. "Maybe that's a sign that he's right for you, despite the age thing," I told her.

She hugged me back and then released me. "Maybe. I've got to head to my lab." She looked at the bed and smiled. "Edward will love it."

I grinned. "I hope so."

"I know so." Rose looked up from her phone and grinned. "I'm a genius, you can admit it."

This time I tossed my pillow at her. "Get out of here, both of you. I have to break the news to Dad that I'm not coming home this weekend."

Rose laughed. "Good luck with that. Are you going to tell him why?"

I bit my lip and shrugged. "I guess I kind of have to. Edward's family knows about me and we're together. He wants me to go to Europe with him this summer and…"

Both girls stopped in their tracks. "What?" they each demanded.

I nodded. "He's going to be over there filming _Steele_ this summer and he wants me to come out after graduation. I know I should probably just stay home and work with my dad but…"

"Fuck no you shouldn't. You should go! Holy shit, Bella, he wants you with him all summer? That's huge!" Rose's eyes were bugging out of her head. Alice looked shocked.

"Yeah, he wants me there." And it felt amazingly good to know that.

"You're going. Tell Charlie whatever you need to, but make it happen," Rose ordered. "I'll make Emmett invite me if need be, he said he's supposed to be with Edward on this movie."

That would be awesome. "You should go. You should both come! I'd need someone to hang out with while he works all day."

Alice laughed. "Rose maybe could go but I…"

"No, Alice. I get why you don't want to do the cabin but Edward works long ass hours during filming. We could tear it up all across the continent while they're working," I told her. I didn't want her to be left out of this too.

"I'll think about it. I'm not just inviting myself to Europe and I might be working at the hospital this summer. Let me think it over," she begged. I couldn't say no to that. "Alright, I'm going to class. Good luck with Charlie!" she called.

Rose watched her go. "We need to make her come."

"We'll try. You know Alice," I told her. "What did you send to Emmett by the way?"

She giggled. "I told him that he could use his handcuffs on me only if I got to use them on him first and that I have no gag reflex."

I burst out laughing. "You're a liar and a perv."

"You know nothing about my gag reflex, Bella." She smirked as she backed out of my room. "I hope his mom was right next to him when he read that. I think I'll go take a picture of my domme costume and send it to him."

I shook my head and watched her leave. She was crazy but I loved her for it. And now it was time to do the thing I'd been dreading, but I couldn't put it off any longer. I should have called him yesterday after Edward left but I hadn't been up to it. And yes, I'd wanted to keep my phone free for any texts and calls Edward would manage while he was traveling. Sue me.

I dialed Dad's number and waited. "Hello."

"Hi, Dad."

"Hi, Bella. I was just about to call you."

I shifted guiltily. "Sorry it's taken me awhile to get back to you. I was busy this weekend."

He grunted. "I remember. How was that date of yours?"

Date? What date? Oh God, I forgot he knew about Colin. So much had happened since then that I'd forgotten myself. "Oh, it wasn't very good, Dad. I actually came home early."

"That boy didn't try anything, did he?"

I had to laugh at that. "No, Dad, he was a perfect gentleman. He could tell my heart wasn't in it so he brought me home." To Edward. I still got tingles when I remembered walking into the room and seeing him there.

"Well, that's good. So what kept you too busy for your old man then?"

Shit, here we go. "Uh, remember how I told you there was another guy that I was avoiding?"

"Yes." He drew out the word, sounding suspicious.

"Well, I couldn't avoid him anymore. He was here when I got home and we talked." I smiled. "We're good now. Better than we were before."

"That's good. You sound happy," he said.

"I am, Dad. He's amazing." Too amazing. "There's something I have to tell you though."

"What is it, Bella? You can tell me anything, you know that."

I could, too. Well, anything that wasn't sexual. There were just some places I was not willing to go with Dad. "He's famous, Dad."

There was a long pause on the other end of the line and then a sharp intake of breath. "Bella! Are you dating Jake Locker? I told you that you could meet him if you just put yourself out there! How'd you meet him? Can he get me sideline passes?"

Holy hell, he was off and running. Charlie had made no bones about the fact that he'd love it if I dated a UDub football player and Jake was the best we'd had in a long time. Of course his mind went to sports. I should have known.

"Dad, I'm not dating Jake Locker."

Charlie finally stopped babbling and heard me. "Who then?"

"Edward Cullen."

There was another long pause followed by a laugh. "Seriously, Bella, who is it? It's really Jake, right? You just want to pull my leg."

I sighed. Was it so hard to believe? Actually, I supposed it sort of was. I wouldn't believe me. "No, Dad, really, I'm dating Edward Cullen."

Charlie cleared his throat. "Alright, I'll bite. Just how did you meet Edward Cullen? Have you, Rose and Alice been taking road trips down to California instead of going to class? Is he there shooting a movie? I think I would have heard."

And here was where he'd get pissed at me. "No, he's not here shooting a movie. We actually met over the phone, from playing _Words with Friends_."

"Bella, I know you're smarter than to believe some yahoo who claims to be Edward Cullen over a game. I've told you time and time again how people misrepresent themselves over the internet and that you can't trust them. Please tell me you haven't given this guy any personal information that he can use against you. Give me his name and I'll do a search." His voice had taken on a hard edge and I cringed at what was about to come.

"Dad, I know for a fact that he's the real Edward Cullen because we've met. He was here, waiting for me, when I got back from my date."

"What?" Charlie yelped. "Explain, Bella. From the beginning."

Right. Probably should have done that from the get go. "Alright, Dad, he was on TV and mentioned that he played my favorite game, _Words with Friends_. Using what I knew about him, I found him and started a game against him. We started talking and then emailing and then talking on the phone." I paused and waited for it.

"You gave him your phone number? Bella, how many times do I have to tell you how many crazy people there are out there? You can't just give your phone number to some guy who may or may not be famous."

"I knew he was by the time I gave him my number, Dad. I'm not that stupid."

He muttered something about "that stupid" and I sighed. "You can get mad at me if you want but I've already confirmed with my own two eyes that it was Edward Cullen." And other parts of my body. Not mentioning those, thank you very much.

Dad sighed. "So what was this falling out you mentioned?"

"I saw him with his friend Jane at an awards show and got mad at him and let it slip that I knew all along who he was. He'd liked talking to me because I didn't know who he was so he was angry that I'd been lying to him all that time." I waited and he said nothing. "We had a big fight about it and I figured he'd never talk to me again."

"I see. So how did you go from that to him being in your apartment?"

"Well, Rose was a bit angry at him for upsetting me and she called him but got his brother. His brother told her that he really liked me and was very hurt that I'd lied to him. Rose explained that I liked him beyond him being famous and Edward's brother drove him up here so we could talk face to face and find out if there was anything between us."

"And I presume there was?"

More than I could possibly say. "Yes. Dad, he's great. He's kind and caring and sweet and somehow he really likes me."

"What the hell kind of statement is that?" he demanded. "Of course he likes you. You're smart and beautiful and a great girl. He'd be a fool not to like you."

I felt myself smiling. "Thanks, Dad, but you're a little biased." He made a noise that sounded like humph but I hurried on. "We're going to be spending Spring Break together."

"You're going away for a week with a boy you just met?" he asked, his voice sounding a lot like it had the time he'd caught me and Eric necking in the parking lot behind the gas station.

"We've been talking for over a month now and I'm not going alone. Rose is coming, too." She'll be in another cabin but you don't need to know that right now. Or ever. "And we're inviting Alice and some other people." We had invited Alice. Still, not a lie.

"Bella, I know you're excited and that he's rich and famous and whatnot but I really don't think you should rush into anything. You know how these Hollywood types are. He could have women in every city."

That made me mad. "Dad, you don't know Edward. He's not like that. I know him; I really, really do. He's a good person. You need to give him a chance."

"How am I supposed to do that, Bella? When can I meet him?"

Shit. I didn't know. "I'm not sure yet, Dad. He's going to Europe to film the next _Steele_ movie in a few weeks, so maybe after that." There, I'd put Europe out there. It was time.

Silence greeted that statement. "So you're going to spend a week with the guy and then he's off to Europe for months on end to do who knows what with God knows who? Bella, sweetheart, I just don't see this going anywhere that won't leave you hurt and alone. I don't want you to go through that again."

I winced. He knew what Tyler had done to me and of course he was worried now. But he didn't need to be. "He invited me to go with him."

"He what?" my dad's voice thundered over the line.

"Dad, you were worried he'd go to Europe and mess around behind my back, weren't you? I'm just showing you that he's not going to. He wants me with him."

"For the summer?" Charlie asked.

"Yes, it would be for the summer. Rose and Alice are talking about going too." That wasn't a lie either, we'd just discussed it. "He'd be working all day long so I'd need somebody to go see the sights with."

"And just where would you get the money to go to Europe? From him?" Dad demanded.

"Yes, Dad, he'd buy my ticket. I'm not exactly thrilled with that, but he has money and I don't and I want to be with him. He doesn't have to do it but he wants me with him."

"I just bet he does," my dad muttered, but at least he wasn't yelling.

I closed my eyes and prayed for patience. "Dad, I know this is a lot for you to process, I get it. I can't even believe it and I'm living it. But I can tell you that Edward cares about me and I care about him. Obviously with the distance between us, we need to do things like this in order to be together. We can't just go out to dinner and then go about our regular lives. We have to sneak away and spend all the time we can get together."

"Sneak away? Is the boy going to hide you like a dirty little secret, Bella?" Dad sounded pissed at that idea. I couldn't blame him there.

Bad choice of words. "No, Dad, he doesn't want to hide me but he does want to protect me. He doesn't want the press following me and taking pictures of me while I try to go to class. I don't want that either. We haven't figured everything out, of course, but he wants me to be with him. That should tell you something."

"I don't like this, Bella."

Of course not. "I didn't expect you to, Dad, but I do expect you to trust me. You raised me right and despite what you may think of how Edward and I met, I am smart and I wouldn't have given up information about myself to just anybody." I decided to give him everything. "I love him, Dad. He's so much more than I thought he would be when I went looking for him."

"Oh, Bella, are you sure you love him or is it the idea of him? Everybody has celebrity crushes and you're just getting a chance to live yours out." He sounded resigned to what I was telling him.

"No, Dad, I love him. You can question just about anything else I've told you today, but don't question that."

He sighed. "I can't tell you what to do, Bella. You're twenty-two years old and you know your heart. I can tell you that I don't much like it and I'd very much like to meet the boy before you go gallivanting off to Europe with him for the summer."

That was probably as close to a blessing as I was going to get. I had no idea how I was going to get him and Edward together before then. Maybe he and I could leave the cabin for a day or two, though I was loathe to do that. I'd talk to Edward about it. "I'll try to make that happen, Dad."

"Good. I'd appreciate it. And be careful, Bella. I know you trust this guy but I just don't want to see you get hurt again."

"I know that, Dad. But I also know that I have to put myself out there eventually. Not all guys are like Tyler. Not all women are like Mom."

Dad made a choking noise and I wondered if I'd gone too far. I was right, though. Dad had closed himself off for a long time after she left. "I know that, Bella."

"Good, Dad. He makes me happy."

"Alright, Bella. I'm not happy about this but I do trust you. I expect you to check in from wherever it is you're going and give me the address and phone number and everything."

Great, now I had to worry about Dad pulling up in his cruiser to check everything out. I'd have to make sure Rose had her phone on at all times in case he did show up and she had to come running to pretend to be protecting my virtue, such as it was. Dad had to know that wasn't happening. "I will, Dad."

"I hope that he's everything you think he is, Bella. I want you to be happy, you know that. I'll do my best to keep an open mind, but I better not see that boy with a different girl on his arm in all those stupid magazines they carry at the grocery store."

I laughed at the thought of Charlie scanning tabloids looking for evidence of Edward cheating on me. "He's going to be busy with work, Dad; I doubt you'll see much of anything."

"We'll see," he muttered. "Just find a way for me to meet him or I'll find a way myself."

Ugh. "Yes, Dad, will do. I'll call you Friday when we get there."

"Good."

"I love you, Dad."

"Love you too, Bella. Be safe."

"I will." I disconnected and closed my eyes. That had been draining. It hadn't gone well but it hadn't been terrible either. He hadn't tried to forbid me to see Edward or anything, which I wouldn't have listened to anyway.

I must have dozed off because the ringing of my phone startled me. I smiled when I saw Edward's name on my screen.

"Hello, Edward," I said by way of greeting. I couldn't keep the happiness out of my voice.

"Hi, Bella. It's so good to hear you."

I giggled. He'd survived Mom's visit. "I'm the one who's relieved. I was afraid you'd be grounded for being a big, bad spaghetti thief."

Edward's beautiful laugh came over the line. "She wasn't that mad and we distracted her with talk of you girls, which is why she really came over."

"Really?" She wanted to know more about me? "What did you tell her?"

"I told her how beautiful and smart and funny you are and how happy you made me. Of course, she saw that for herself."

God he knew how to make me feel good. Though how had she seen it for herself? "She did, huh?"

"Oh yeah. Emmett took a couple of pictures of you and she agreed that you're beautiful. She can't wait to meet you."

I wish I could say the feeling was mutual. I mean, I wanted to meet his family but I was a bit nervous about it after all I'd heard about his mother. "Well, we'll have to see when we can arrange that."

Edward made a little noise. "We actually kind of have."

"What does that mean?" Please tell me she's not showing up at the cabin, too. She and Dad could haul us off together.

"Um, Emmett came up with the idea of us going to your graduation and Mom was all over it."

Graduation? That could work. Then Charlie could meet Edward and not have to take away from our alone time. But could Edward manage that without getting mauled by thousands of people? "Could you do that? I mean, people would see you."

"Well, if anybody notices me, I could say that I'm there for a family member or something. We'll figure it out. Is it okay with you if we come? I'm assuming your dad will be there and will want to meet me at some point."

If he only knew. I choked on a laugh. "Uh, yeah, he wants to meet you." That's an understatement. I wouldn't be surprised if he was doing background checks and researching tabloids as we spoke.

"You talked to him? What did he say?"

"Well, he was kind of fatherly about the cabin thing, so I may have let him think that we'd be sharing with Rose and Emmett and a couple of other people." I'd have to ask Alice not to drop in to see him when she went home this weekend.

Edward chuckled. "You may have, Bella? More like you did."

"Okay, so I did! He was a little blown away that I was dating you and I had to tell him how we met, which he wasn't thrilled with since he's a cop and hears all those stories about people meeting people on Craigslist and one of them getting killed and whatnot." I was pretty grateful that I hadn't gotten a Craigslist lecture again.

"Well the fact that I'm famous should put him at ease a little bit, right? Killing you would be bad for my career."

I should have told him that. I couldn't hold back the laughter. "I'll be sure to point that out."

"Did you mention Europe to him?"

Yes, it was a real blast, let me tell you. "Yeah, I did. That went over less well than the cabin, but he didn't tell me I couldn't go. Just that he has concerns."

"Well, maybe coming to graduation would be good. He could meet me and I could put his fears to rest." Edward didn't seem remotely bothered by my dad's lack of enthusiasm, but then he hadn't had to hear it.

I laughed. "It couldn't hurt, I suppose. And if your parents are there, he'd have to be on his best behavior." Edward's mom would defend him from any torture from my father, I'd bet money on that. Crap, what if they had a huge Jerry Springeresque fight?

"Do you think you could get us tickets?" Edward asked.

That was the easy part. With Rose's family not coming we'd have hers, plus I had no intention of inviting Mom and her current boy toy. "Oh yeah, that won't be a problem. If Dad brings Sue, I'll still have two left over and Rose's parents aren't coming so she'll have all four."

"Rose's parents aren't coming?" He sounded as disbelieving as I had been. Even knowing what they were like, they'd surprised me by not wanting to see their daughter graduate. Parents lived for that crap.

"No, they're not exactly a close family and they just told her to buy herself something nice." I hated them. "Hence our shopping trip."

"Oh yeah, the shopping trip. Are you going to tell me what you bought?"

You wish, Cullen. Just you wait and see. "No, I'd rather wait and show you."

"Why don't you show me now?" He was using his sexiest, most cajoling voice. I felt my insides melting.

What did he have in mind? "And how am I supposed to do that?"

"Skype, baby. That's the one form of communication we haven't used."

That was…I hadn't thought of that. I wanted to see him, badly. "You want to Skype with me?"

"Hmm, do I want to look at my beautiful girlfriend, hopefully wearing one of the things she bought today? Yes, I think I do."

What should I wear? The pink number? The red and black? Red and black, definitely. "Okay, give me ten minutes. Same login I always use."

"Okay, see you then, Bella."

"Bye, Edward." I hung up and reached for the red nightie with the black lace edging. It would be perfect. Ready or not, here I come, Edward.


	38. Juice

Was I really doing this? Yes, yes I was. I wanted to see Edward more than anything and I wanted him to see me, like this. I looked myself over in the mirror and adjusted the straps on my shoulders. This was insane. Dad would kill me if he knew what I was doing. Rose would applaud me. We'd go with Rose's opinion on all things sexual. I looked good if I did say so myself. I suspected Edward would be pleased anyway.

I grabbed my computer and logged into Skype, requesting contact with Skeletor17. I wanted contact with him alright. Less than three days now. I could make it, especially now that I was going to see and hear him at the same time.

I stepped away from the computer as I heard the ding that he'd accepted me. I wanted to give him the maximum impact and take my time revealing my little surprise. I hoped he loved it.

"Baby?" He sounded like he was ready to burst. It was so cute. I loved how much he wanted me. It made me feel powerful.

I laughed lightly as I moved my leg in front of the computer screen; slowly lowering it to the mattress and giving him a wonderful close up of my foot. I knew I was driving him insane.

"Bella, you're teasing me," he whined. I had to laugh at how needy he was.

"Haven't you ever heard of building the anticipation?" I asked him.

"I've been anticipating you ever since I left yesterday morning," he pointed out. "It's been thirty-six hours, baby. That's way too long." Way, way too long. He was right. Plus, I was depriving myself of his gorgeous face and body too. That was just wrong.

I bent over in front of the computer and there he was, sexy as hell in a t-shirt and boxers. It was effortless for him, but I could hardly resent that since he was mine. "Yes, it has been way too long," I told him, hopping on the bed and letting him see me in all my glory. Was it glory? I don't know, but the look on his face was pretty priceless. Eyes bugged, his mouth fell open and he might have been drooling. Yes, I'd say the outfit was a hit.

"Bella," he managed, his eyes moving over me. Jesus, was it getting hot in here? He had the same effect on me from a thousand miles away as he did when he was sitting on my bed. Those burning green eyes felt like they were devouring me. "Fuck, baby, you look amazing."

"I thought you might like it," I told him. I was still blown away that I had that kind of effect on him, the same one he had on me. How was it possible that I was this lucky? Maybe all the shit with my mom and Tyler had earned me some karma points, but this many? I wasn't going to challenge it though. I was getting more than my fair share and I was a-okay with that.

" _Like_ is the wrong word, sexy. I love it. Are you going to wear it for me this weekend?" He looked so eager, like a puppy dog almost. It was the most adorable thing ever.

I giggled and studied him. "For as long as you'll let me wear it." I didn't suspect that would last long at all.

"It will be my very great pleasure to take it off of you, baby." God, yes. Pleasure for you and me both, Edward.

"I'm sure I'll get some pleasure out of that, too."

"Never doubt that, beautiful. I'll make damn sure you enjoy it." I have no worries there. My body was still a bit sore but already responding to his face, his voice and his promises.

He was too far away. I leaned over and picked my computer off the bed and put it on my lap. It felt like he was a little closer anyway. "You were too far away."

He frowned. "I am too far away. I miss you so much, Bella."

He killed me, he really did. I bit my lip and tried to contain the tears that wanted to spring free at those sweet, simple words of his. "I miss you, too, Edward. It's weird because we only had that short time together but it feels like part of me is gone now."

Edward nodded. "It's not weird, Bella. It's just us. We fit so of course there's a piece missing when we're not together. You've been on my mind since the moment I left, and you were obviously on it while I was there." I should hope so. That made me giggle as my mind went to other things I was on when he was here.

"I was obviously on something when you were here."

That killer grin of his flashed. "And I want you on it again, baby. Especially dressed like that."

I gave him a smile of my own. "Then you better get your cute ass up here as soon as you can."

"Sixty-five hours and counting, love. We're getting there." That's right. We'd knocked some time off anyway.

"Shopping with Rose and Alice killed a little time. Class doesn't really help, because I get bored and think of you." And those thoughts do nothing but get me in trouble.

"And just what do you think about, Ms. Swan?" He leaned forward and looked very eager for my answer. He was so cute when he wanted something.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"I believe I asked, so yes, I want to know." There was a little edge to his voice now and it was sexy as hell.

"Demanding one, aren't you?" His frown turned into a smile. I'd tell him anything he wanted to know when he looked at me like that. "Well, today I was thinking about the things I was going to be shopping for and what your face would look like when you saw them."

The smile got more feral. "Really? You were imagining my expression while you were supposed to be paying attention to your teachers? Miss Swan, you are a naughty one."

That brought to mind the naughty schoolgirl outfit I'd bought to wear for him. Of all the things I'd gotten, I suspected that would be the one that would drive him to his knees.

His green eyes tried to bore into me through the computer. "What has you so squirmy, baby?"

"You'll see!" Boy, will you see. The images I had in my mind of him bending me over a desk were getting me very wet.

"Oh, Bella, you are one giant tease. I might have to take you over my knee and give you that spanking the instant I get you alone." Oh yes, that's definitely one of the things I have in mind, but not first thing, baby. The first thing I need is your hands, your lips and your beautiful cock.

"Mmm, I have better uses for your hands the minute we get in the cabin."

I heard a groan and it went straight through me. Why wasn't he here right now? I wanted him so bad that I didn't think I could stand it.

"Yeah? What would you like these hands to do to you, Bella?" He showed me his perfect hands, like I didn't have them memorized by now. I wanted them on me, in me, all over me. I licked my lips as I remembered what they felt like moving over my body. I was going to do this. I was going to show him what I would have him do if he was here right now.

"I could show you," I told him as I moved my hand down the silky material, cupping my breast and squeezing it with the perfect amount of pressure. I could close my eyes and pretend they were his hands, but then I wouldn't be able to see that unforgettable face of his. God I wished I could touch him. My hands were good, but they were a poor imitation of his. "What would you want my hands to be doing, if yours were touching me here?" I gripped my other breast and ran my thumbs over each nipple. They hardened as I watched his eyes widen and his tongue come out. Oh yeah, beautiful boy, I wish your lips were on me right now.

Edward shifted and sat his computer to the side, letting me see more of that sexy body of his. He put his hand over his cock. "I'd want your hands right here, baby."

God, yes. "Then that's where they'd be, Edward." I had to show him more, so I moved the computer further away on the bed, so he could see what I was about to do. I couldn't believe I was, but it was him. He made me want to touch myself for him. I dragged my right hand down my stomach and down to where I most wanted him. I stroked myself above the material and watched as Edward gulped. It felt like his gaze was burning me. It was a good burn and I wanted more. "I'm not wearing anything under here, you know," I informed him, wishing he was here to see and feel for himself.

"I didn't know. Will you touch yourself, Bella?" His voice was rough with desire and it made me all the hotter.

I would, only if he returned the favor. I licked my lips and let him know that. "I will if you will, Edward. Do you have my lotion?"

He didn't even answer me verbally. He just leaned over and my bottle was in his hand just like that. It made me laugh which made him smile back. How darn cute was he, with my lotion right next to his bed? Had he used it already? He was cute and hot. I got the best of both worlds with Edward. "Right by my bed, Bella. Did you have any doubt?"

Not really. I knew my guy. "Have you used it yet?"

"No, at least, not to get myself off. I've smelled it a time or two." He grinned. "I wanted to suggest we use it earlier but then Mom came over." Cockblocked by his own mother. It made me laugh. "You enjoy me getting the third degree?"

"Sort of, but not when it interrupts our potential playtime." That was really just unacceptable. But then, I'd been in public so it wasn't possible anyway. "Of course, I was with Rose so I couldn't have played then anyway."

He laughed and raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I don't know, baby, you could have tried to be super quiet in a dressing room while I told you all about what I wanted to do to you." Oh, hell, what a thought that was. I'd probably be kicked out of the store in record time. I didn't think I'd care though. "Would you let me into your dressing room with you, Bella? To help you try something on for size?"

Holy hell. Edward with me in a dressing room while I tried on sexy things? That was just…jeez. I was going to combust soon. "Edward," I whispered as I slid my hand below my nightie and started touching myself. I was so wet already. Edward responded by pulling off his boxers and putting some lotion in his hand.

"Imagine if you'd tried that on with me sitting right there watching you, Bella. Do they have mirrors in those rooms still?"

Oh, God. Lots of mirrors. Watching Edward watching me. "Yeah, a big one from the floor to the top of the door and another medium sized one on the wall."

Edward began to work his cock with his right hand. I watched him for a bit and realized I could see him but he couldn't see me. I lifted my nightie up so he could see as I touched myself. Edward gave me a sexy moan and stroked himself harder.

"So when you put that on, I'd have to touch it, to feel how soft it was on your skin. Would you like that, Bella?"

Um, hell to the yes. I managed to force out a "Yes" as I ran my fingers over my clit. I could feel myself getting hotter.

"Mmm, well I'd run my hands up and down your sides, feeling the way it molded to your perfect body. Do they have chairs in there?" Chairs. Yes, they did. He could be sitting there with me, touching me like I was touching myself right now. "I'd sit there, touching you; your breasts, your stomach, your legs. I'd reach up and stroke your pussy while you stood there, modeling for me, biting your lip like you're doing now, baby."

Was I biting my lip? I didn't know. He was so sexy. When he talked to me like this, it was even hotter. His words killed me. His strong fingers were working himself expertly. I had never been jealous of his hands, as I adored them, but right now I wanted to take their place with my own. Or my lips. Both.

"I'd take my cock out, Bella. There'd be no way that I could just touch you, looking like that. I'd need to fuck you."

Yes, you would have to fuck me right there in the dressing room with Rose and who knew who else right nearby. I wouldn't stop you. I slid two fingers inside me. They were a poor substitute for his cock but I had to take what I could get right now.

"Would you let me fuck you in the dressing room, Bella?" Weren't you already? Yes, you have to fuck me in the dressing room, Edward. I need you.

"God, yes." I pumped my fingers inside of me and ran my thumb over my clit like he would. I missed his touch.

"Sit on me, Bella, take me inside you." So hot. I moaned long and loud as I imagined lowering myself down on his hard cock, having him fill me with people just a few feet away. "Can you see us in the mirror, baby? Can you see yourself riding me?" Oh yes. Mirrors. Mirrors on every side, seeing myself moving over this gorgeous man. "How sexy is that, beautiful? Knowing that there are other people just outside? You have to be so quiet, but you don't want to be, do you? Not with my cock inside of you."

"So hard," I managed. It would be so hard to be quiet, but I would because I wanted him. I wouldn't utter a sound as he fucked me hard in the dressing room.

Edward's eyes were locked on my body as he stroked his cock even harder. "Look how beautiful you are, baby. Riding my cock while you wear your sexy little outfit, my hands on your ass, squeezing it as I thrust inside you."

Oh shit. I was close. His words were killing me, as was the image of the two of us in that little room, trying to be quiet as we fucked each other. "Yes, Edward," I managed.

"Somebody knocks on our door, asking if you need anything. Do you need anything, Bella?"

Screw them. I had everything I needed. Edward was all I could ever want. "Just you. Only you, Edward."

He groaned. So sexy. "That's right, Bella. You have me. All of me, thick and hard inside you. Can you feel me?" Yes, I could. It hadn't been that long ago. I could still feel him inside me if I wanted to. And I did. "Do you like knowing there's some lady only a few feet away, with no idea what I'm doing to you inside that little room?"

Yes, yes that was so hot. I didn't care if she heard us. Let her hear what he did to me. I managed to nod as I felt it building inside me. "Such a naughty girl, baby. I squeeze that tight little ass of yours harder as you bounce on me, your beautiful tits right there in my face. Do you want me to suck on them, love?"

"God, yes." His lips…I needed them on me.

He laughed. "I slide the straps down your arms and reveal your perfect breasts, sucking hard on the left nipple. You taste amazing, Bella."

That did it. My pussy clenched on my fingers and I threw back my head as my orgasm ripped through me. Edward followed right behind me, his come shooting onto his chest. He pulled his shirt off as he came down and gave me a lazy, satisfied smile. He was so gorgeous. It took my breath away, really.

"Holy shit, Bella. You're so beautiful."

Was he kidding? He was the one who was beyond words. "You're the beautiful one. The sexy, creative beautiful one. Edward…jeez."

He laughed. "What can I say, baby, you bring out the exhibitionist in me."

And he in me. I honestly wouldn't care if we did get caught. It would absolutely be worth it. "I can see the headlines now. Edward Cullen Arrested For Public Indecency, Gets Freaky In A Dressing Room."

Edward grinned appreciatively. "At least that'd be something Emmett never got busted for." Ha! I bet that would piss Emmett off, too.

I shook my head. "You're so bad."

"You're the bad one, baby. Look at your outfit. How am I expected to be good when you're wearing that?"

I knew he'd like it. "You're supposed to be very good when I'm wearing it. Mind-blowingly good."

His smile killed me. "I can do that, baby."

"I know you can. Jeez, what you do to me with words. I wouldn't think it could get any better than that if I didn't experience it for myself already."

"Lots more of that to come, Bella," he promised.

Thank God for that. "I'm counting on it."

Edward leaned back against his headboard and watched me. "Me too, sweetheart." That was a new nickname and so very cute. I smiled at him. "So, was it really that bad with your dad?"

I scrunched up my face. "It wasn't horrible. He didn't yell much, other than at first when he realized that I'd given out personal information over the computer." He'd absolutely kill me if he knew what I'd just done, but then again, I'd die first of embarrassment at my father knowing something like that. "I think if you do come for graduation, it might make things better and might prevent him from hunting us down at the cabin." He knew he couldn't stop me from seeing Edward, but I knew he would feel a lot better if he could meet him and I wanted him to be truly happy for me.

"If he meets me and doesn't hate me…" Edward actually looked nervous. "Are you going to come to Berlin with me?"

Was he serious? I laughed. "Do you really have to ask that? I want to spend as much time as I can with you before school starts. I was hoping I could fly back with you if you do come for graduation." More time together. And on a plane. Maybe we could…rein it in Bella.

"Absolutely, baby. Just give me dates and times and I'll make sure it's done."

He was incredible. "So willing to please. I love it. I mentioned it to Alice and Rose…" How could I possibly ask him for more?

"Bella, do you want them to come with us?"

Of course he knew what I was going to say. "Kind of. I mean, I think my dad would be happier about it and I think it would do Alice some good to see that even though I'm with you, I'm not going to forget her or leave her behind or whatever. She's been a lot better since you came up and I know she's sad, seeing me and Rose getting so caught up with you and Emmett. I'd just like to include her if I can."

Edward smiled. "Sweet girl, of course you can. Emmett would be over the moon if Rose would come and I'd love for you to have some company." He frowned. "It's selfish of me to want you with me. I'll be working ridiculous hours and you'll be alone all day long. I just have to have you there, baby."

How could he possibly think himself selfish? This wonderful man who was willing to fly me and my friends to Europe? "Edward, it's not selfish!" I told him. "I want to be with you, even if I only get nights and weekends. I'll take whatever I can get. Please, don't call yourself selfish ever again. You're the most giving person I've ever met."

He lit up at my words. "I'd give you anything, Bella. And I promise that I'll find a way to get some time off while we're there. I'll get Emmett to blow up the wrong thing if I have to, throw off the filming schedule."

How cute was he? I threw back my head and laughed. "You will not, Edward Cullen. You'll do your job and do it well and I'll be right there waiting when you're done."

"Okay, baby, that'll get me through the long days anyway."

I laughed. Poor boy. "I think you'll survive."

He smirked. "I know I'm being silly, but I need to get as much of you as I can before you start school in September."

"Late August, actually." Damn school starting too early, taking me away from my sexy boyfriend.

"They want me to do a movie in London in September."

Shit. We'd be that far apart? For how long? I tried not to let my disappointment show. "What movie?"

Edward shrugged. "No title yet, an English period piece with a bunch of great actors. Colin Firth, Helen Mirren, Kate Winslet." That was amazing. I was thrilled for him, for his career. "Marcus thinks it's Oscar material. I haven't read it yet."

"That's great, baby." Plus he'd look hot in some of those old fashions. "I can't wait to see you in old timey clothes. Will you speak with an accent?"

He laughed, but what could I say? Accents were hot. "I think so. I'm actually bringing the script with me to the cabin. I thought you might like to read it with me."

He wanted to share his script with me? Really? That would be amazing. "I'd love to! That sounds like fun."

Edward's grin was contagious. "I'll read my part in the accent for you." Oh, God, I'd probably attack him before we hit page two. Somehow I didn't think he'd mind. "You like that, do you?"

"Accents are sexy."

"So are you, Miss Swan." Holy shit, he sounded like Colin Firth. I might keel over and die of bliss. "Do I need to worry about losing you to some European this summer? Maybe you should stay home."

Like he could possibly have anything to fear. "It's the combination of the accent and you, Edward. Your voice…" I shivered at how sexy he was. "You could probably speak caveman and it would still turn me on."

He laughed hard at my ridiculousness. I didn't care though. He was hot no matter what. "You're so damn cute. I'll work on my caveman just for you." Pulling my hair, throwing me over his shoulder, carrying me and having his way with me? Holy shit, yes.

"You spoil me," I told him.

"I've only just begun, baby."

He was amazing. "I love the sound of that."

"Me too." I couldn't contain the yawn that slipped out. It sucked but I'd missed him so much that I hadn't slept very well on Monday night. "You need to get some sleep, sweetheart."

"I know, but I don't want to." I could actually feel myself pouting but I couldn't help it. I wanted more of him.

"I know, baby. Neither do I, but we'll talk tomorrow, and we'll be one day closer to being back together."

Yes, one day closer. That was the best part about sleeping right now. It ate up time and brought him closer to being back with me. "That's true. Maybe I should just sleep the next few days away."

He chuckled. "If you did that, we couldn't do this again."

He had a point there. "That would be a travesty. Tomorrow night?"

"Will you show me something else you bought?" he asked eagerly.

How cute was he? Like a little kid on Christmas. I laughed hard. "You can't see it all before the weekend, greedy boy." His pout was nearly enough to have me giving in. Maybe I could compromise. "How about if I wear this again?"

His smile brightened. "Okay, if you insist on making me look at you in the same thing twice in a row."

Ha, he loved it. "You suffer so for me, Edward."

He gave me a fake, giant sigh. "That I do. I'll endure it, because it's you."

"That's big of you."

"I'm a big guy."

Didn't I know it? I laughed at him again. "Go clean yourself up, big guy. I'll talk to you in the morning."

He gave me that special smile again. "Okay. Goodnight, baby."

"Goodnight, handsome."

I closed my computer and took off the nightie, changing into my trusty t-shirt for bed. I loved that he loved the shirt just as much as the sexy stuff. He loved anything on me. He loved me, I just knew it. I hoped so anyway. I closed my eyes and imagined what it would sound like when he said it. When I said it to him. At the cabin. It had to happen there.

Xoxoxoxox

My alarm got me up much too early but I didn't care because I was eight hours closer to seeing Edward. I texted him before I even got out of bed to get ready for class. _Good morning, sunshine. I woke up with a big smile on my face. Two days now. I can't wait._

Then I opened _Words_ to see what he had for me. GAINS? Eh, it wasn't sexy but he was within two points which was probably his reason for playing it. Poor guy wanted to beat me. I laughed when I saw my letters. Beat this baby. I slapped down JUICE for a double word score off the E in SEMEN. My words were so wrong but they cracked me up. I opened up the messages to get his response.

**Naughty Bella, taunting me with whatever it is you're shopping for. Red is my favorite color on you. That red bra and panties looked delicious on your skin. So did your cute little ass when I spanked it, which I need to do again very soon for all the teasing you're doing.**

Spanking again. God, he killed me.

**I can take you on every surface of the cabin, can I? Let's see, four bedrooms which equals four beds, four bathrooms with showers and bathtubs, a kitchen, a living room, an office, the hot tub…that's a whole lot of taking baby. Are you sure you can handle it?**

Maybe not but I'll sure as hell give it the old college try. I doubt you'll complain.

**I miss you too, although I guess I need these four days away to recuperate so that I can take you properly. See you soon, sexy.**

Two days now, Edward. Very soon. Now it's my turn.

_I thought it was a good word since you get my juices flowing with little more than a word. Well, maybe it takes more than one word, but not many. Especially when you mention spanking. Who knew I was such a freak in the sheets? You bring it out of me, Edward._

What? I loved that song by Usher. A lady in the streets but a freak in the bed. Sheets was better though, it rhymed.

_I can handle anything you can give me, handsome. Anywhere, anytime and anyplace, remember? Even if it's a dressing room. For now, I suppose we'll have to make do with those ten or so places in the cabin. I guess that can keep us occupied at least part of the time._

_By the time you read this, it'll be only two days from now. I'm ready and waiting for you._

That should do it. I hauled myself out of bed and took my shower and got ready for class. When I came out, I had a text from Edward.

**Good morning, princess. I wish I'd seen that smile for myself, but I'll content myself with the fact that in two short days, that smile, along with the rest of you, is all mine. Text when you can.**

I would when I didn't have to run out the door to head to class. Our words would get us through until we could see each other again.

xoxoxoxoxo

We did it. We made it. Our Skype sessions stayed hot, our phone calls stayed sweet and our texts and _Words_ remained suggestive and it worked for us. Of course, I was staring at the clock and looking out the window every two minutes waiting for him. He should be here any time now.

I saw a black SUV pull up and I held my breath. Edward had said that that's what they were driving. The car door opened and I saw a mess of bronze hair and I ignored Rose's laughing ass as I ran out the front door. Edward hit the top of the stairs and I was on him immediately. He caught me and I wrapped my arms and legs around him and kissed him for all I was worth. We were finally back together and it couldn't feel more right.

* * *


	39. Kitchen Mastery

He was here. I never really doubted he would be, but of course there was that niggling fear that I'd imagined it all during my psychotic break period that just didn't completely go away. But no, he was here and he was real and he was mine. Life didn't get any better than this.

"Are you ready to go, baby?" he asked, breaking our kiss much to my utter sadness. More kissing, now. I'm ready for that, at least.

I nodded. "All packed."

His smile blew me away and he kissed my nose. God, he was too gorgeous to exist really. "Did you pack everything?"

Everything you could possibly want, Edward. "Everything I could possibly need."

His green eyes were sparkling and I had a feeling his mind was in the same place mine was, which was the gutter, as usual. We really were a well matched pair. "Are you sure you got everything? Maybe we should go check." Now that was a very good idea. We just needed a few minutes to…

"Oh, fuck no; you two are not going into the bedroom together. We'll never leave." Damn it, Rose. Give me ten minutes. Actually, I bet I could do him in five. Just a little something to take the edge off.

Edward grinned at Rose in a way that made my heart melt. "I'm just trying to be thorough," he told her. Oh God, thorough. He was so very thorough with those hands and that tongue and that beautiful cock of his.

"I'm sure you'd like to be thorough which means it would take hours for us to get out of here. Are you aware that your hands are on her ass?" Rose asked sarcastically. Hey, I liked them there! Did she hear me complaining? No. Shut up, Rose.

Edward didn't seem like he was ready to move them anytime soon, giving me a squeeze on said ass. I laughed and decided I'd better get down before I forgot we were standing in the hallway of my apartment complex and just took him like I wanted to. I scooted down him and tried not to cry when I was detached from his perfect body.

"Rosie!" a loud voice called as a huge body brushed past us and lifted her in his arms. That Emmett really had no fear, did he? Foolish man. She'd been alternately bitching about and rhapsodizing over him the past few days. And though the bear he'd sent on Wednesday had sort of pissed her off, she slept with the damn thing.

"Put me down, you asshole," she told him, swatting at him.

"Is that any way to greet your man after a long absence?" he asked, smiling down at her completely unaffected by the quite clear irritation on her face.

"First, you are not my man. Second, it hasn't been a long absence. How in the hell am I supposed to miss you when you text me constantly and send me shit? What is the meaning of this, by the way?" She produced the police bear and handed it to him.

Emmett just laughed and handed it back to her. "I thought, after your text, you'd like him. He came with handcuffs and everything."

"I have my own handcuffs," Rose pointed out. It was quite true. I'd seen them. And she'd made an inappropriate joke or two about them and my father's expertise in cuffing a suspect. God. I needed to block that shit out.

Emmett looked delighted. "Did you pack them?"

"I packed all sorts of things," she told him in her sexiest voice. He was a dead man; he just didn't know it yet. "You and your brother load our shit in the car. I'd do it but I figure these two will sneak away to fuck if left unsupervised."

That was rude. And probably totally true, though I wouldn't be quite so crude about it, but yeah. Emmett looked us over and laughed. "Yeah, they probably would. Why don't we make them pack and we'll slip away unsupervised?"

Rose's expression was priceless and I'd never heard that choked up sound come out of her before. She was a goner, too. "Just pack the car, dumbass."

"You can only resist me for so long, Rosie. I have nine whole days," he pointed out. Thank God they had their own cabin, that's all I was saying. "Where's the luggage?"

Rose pointed down the hallway and Emmett went in to grab our bags. Rose shot a look at Edward who sighed but released his hold on me. Damn it. "I guess I better get busy."

"Okay." I kissed him and he went in to help his brother.

I glared at Rose who just laughed at me. "You two are too cute for words." Yeah, well, let us be cute then, or not so cute. That would be even better.

"What in the fuck do you have in here, Rosie? Bricks?" Emmett asked as the boys walked out of our apartment loaded down with our luggage. What? Nine days was a long time.

"All the better to brain you with," she told him, which set him off on another laughing jag. She waited until he'd walked a little ways and then grinned at me. "Actually it's full of sex toys." He nearly tripped but managed to catch himself. His expression was pretty priceless though. I think I saw drool.

"You're an evil woman, Rose," I told her.

She slipped an arm around me. "Yes, I am."

"How long do you think you can hold out on him?" I asked as we grabbed our coats and followed behind them.

"I give him twenty-four hours before he's begging for me. If he does a good job of it, I'll let him have me then." I chuckled and shook my head. I was really and truly grateful that we had our own cabin for more than one reason. The main one being alone time for me and Edward, of course. That was the most important thing.

I watched his gorgeous jean-clad ass bend and lift bags into the back of the SUV and had to fight back a whimper. Three hours. I could have him very soon and at least I could touch him now. They closed the door and we had to have them open it so we could put our coats in back. It was actually in the fifties today but a cold front and snow were coming in the next day or two. I could think of worse things than a blizzard causing Edward and I to be trapped for weeks in a cozy cabin.

"Ready to go?" he asked, slipping his arms around me and pulling me in close. I closed my eyes and inhaled that sexy man smell of his.

"Yes," I told him. Edward opened the back door and helped me inside before following behind me and pulling me against him again. I loved that he couldn't stop touching me either.

"Hi," he murmured.

Oh yeah, we hadn't said that yet. I smiled at him. "Hi, back." He started kissing me again and I slid my hands into his hair and pulled him to me.

"Jesus Christ," Rose interrupted. "Are you going to make out the whole way to the mountain?" I thought that was perfectly valid way to spend our time. We weren't driving after all.

"Yes," Edward told her eventually when we broke apart.

"Let them have their fun," Emmett told Rose. "I'll take care of your lips as soon as we get there." I had to giggle at that one. He was so determined and sure of himself. He had no idea just how stubborn she really was.

"My lips are fine, thank you very much." If you listened closely, you could hear the longing in her voice.

"Yes, they are," he said. "They're soft and sexy and…" She punched him, stopping his line of thought. "I was just agreeing with you."

"Whatever. Are we going or what?" She was impatient to get him alone and drive him nuts. I had to agree that was a very good plan. I had my own man to drive a little crazy. Knowing what I had going on under my clothes was already making me anxious.

Emmett started the car and backed out of the parking space. "Do you think they're going to survive this week?" I asked Edward, because I really wasn't sure there wouldn't be a casualty or two.

"I hope so. He can be a pain in the ass but I kind of like my brother," Edward said with a little grin.

He was so cute. "Kind of, huh?"

"He adores me," Emmett told me. "Just like you will, sis. Hey, when's your graduation?"

"May twelfth," Rose answered for me. "Why?" I hadn't told her about their plan to come yet. Graduation was a touchy subject with her and I wasn't a hundred percent sure it was going to happen, so why say anything and get her worked up for nothing?

Emmett didn't answer her; he just took out his phone. "Hey, Ma. We made it. Yes, we have the girls. Rosie hasn't kissed me hello yet but she'll come around." That earned him another punch. It was cute as hell that he just announced that to his mother. I couldn't see telling Charlie that ever. "Their graduation is May twelfth. Can you clear your schedules and maybe call Danny and get me and Edward out of filming for a few days?" Rose's jaw dropped open. "Okay, thanks Mama. We'll call you when we get there. Yes, I promise." He laughed. "Edward's too busy kissing his girl to talk right now." Hey! We weren't kissing at the moment, unfortunately. "Mama, I am not embarrassing him. Alright, fine, I'm sorry, Edward."

Edward was laughing and it was adorable. I had to join in. He didn't look embarrassed. "You heard me apologize." He snorted. "What do you mean it didn't sound believable? He's barely come up for air since we got here. I doubt he noticed or cared." He sighed. "Fine, I'll stop talking about him getting all the action while I get none." His face paled and he made a choking sound. "Shit, you heard about that?" Oh boy, it sounded like someone was in trouble. At least it wasn't my someone.

"It's not, that was before…I didn't mean to swear. Damn it, Mama. I mean, shit, I mean…poop." Poop! That set me off on a new round of giggles. "You're embarrassing me now, Ma. I have to go. I'm driving. You don't want me distracted while I drive, do you?" That was a pretty good deflection I thought. "I've never done that while driving." He looked at Rose and mouthed the word "yet." Dear God, what had she said? "Okay, we'll call you later. I love you, too. So does Edward. Bye Ma."

He hung up and pouted. "Mom doesn't trust me."

Edward laughed. "What did she hear about?"

Emmett looked at Rose. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing." That couldn't be good.

"Wait a minute," Rose finally seemed to wake up. She hadn't really been present since the beginning of Emmett's conversation with his mom. "Why are you clearing your schedules to come to our graduation?"

"Why wouldn't we want to see our girls graduate?" Emmett asked her. Oh, boy, here we go.

Rose's face scrunched up. "I'm not your girl. I guess I can see your parents coming here to meet Bella, though." Perish the thought. I wasn't facing their mother alone. Rose was gonna be there if I had to handcuff her to me.

"Rosie, you are my girl. The sooner you admit it, the sooner we can get on with the fun part. Not that this isn't fun. I rather enjoy your temper, but I'd like to enjoy it with you naked as well." She hit him but she was smiling, too. "Our parents want to meet you. Both of you." Damn right, Emmett. She'll be there, standing in front of me in the line of fire.

Still, it was incredibly sweet that his family wanted to be a part of our big day. I turned to Edward. "I can't believe your parents want to come to graduation."

"They do. I want to be there, too. It's not every day my girlfriend graduates from college." Gah, girlfriend. It was still amazing that that was so. He kissed me and tugged on my hair. I wrapped myself around him as best as I could in our position.

"They can meet Bella. I'll say hi, but they're not coming for me," Rose informed Emmett. Edward and I broke apart.

"You can claim that all you want but they're coming to meet both of you." Emmett's voice had an edge now. "I heard that you don't have any family coming to graduation. That's just fucked up, Rosie. So we're coming for you. We'll be your family, if you'll let us." Oh my God. That was…that was amazing.

Rose made another choking sound. "Pull over," she managed.

Emmett looked nervous. "Rosie, I…"

"Pull the fuck over now, Emmett." She'd found her strength. Was she pissed? I hoped she wasn't mad that I told them, but they needed our tickets.

Emmett pulled into a shopping center and parked the car. Rose took off her seatbelt. Crap, was she leaving?

"Rosie, don't freak out, okay. It can just be…" Emmett started but didn't finish because my best friends lips were on his and they started making out right in front of us. I guess it was okay for them to do it, too. I couldn't be bitter about it; I was too happy that he'd said that to her.

Edward rested his head against mine and I could hear him sniff my hair. I giggled. He loved how I smelled. I rubbed his back and watched Emmett and Rose get lost in one another. She needed him. She wouldn't admit it but she did. And the fact that he offered her a family made my eyes sting with tears. She'd never admit it but that was all she really wanted.

Eventually they broke apart and Rose shifted back into her seat. Emmett cleared his throat. "Well, then, we can go, yes?" he asked.

"Yes." She buckled in and actually smiled at Emmett. "I'm honored that you'd share your family with me like that."

"What's mine is yours, Rosie." That was incredibly sweet. I never thought I'd see the day that Rose had that moony look on her face, the same one she made fun of me for having with Edward.

Her smile got brighter. "Even the Venom?"

Emmett laughed hard. "Yes, even the Venom. I love that that's more important than my family."

Oh Emmett, don't joke about that. Rose stopped smiling. "It's not. It really isn't. That's the kindest thing anybody's ever said to me." Emmett held a hand out to her and Rose took it. Holy shit, Rose was holding hands with a guy. That had to be a first.

"We'll be there cheering you on, Rosie. You have my word on that," Emmett told her.

"Thanks, Emmett." She looked so happy. I was thrilled. "Let's go. We have a cabin to get to."

Emmett got the car going. It was about time. "Yes, we do."

Xoxoxoxox

We stopped once to get a bite to eat at McDonald's and then again just about a half hour from our destination. We needed food and drinks since there wasn't a lot around there and we had fully functional kitchens. I was excited because I planned on making dinner for Edward a couple of times while we were there. I wanted to show him what I could do.

"Anything you want?" Emmett asked as he got ready to head into the store. Edward couldn't go, of course. It was so weird, how he had to hide. I got it, but to me he was just Edward now and I felt bad that he couldn't do something as simple as walk into a grocery store.

Edward grinned at me. "Apples. Lots of apples." Oh, hell yes.

Emmett shot him a look but agreed. "Okay. Bella?"

Edward was too cute. "Um, just bread, milk, cheese, peanut butter, you know the staples." And the stuff on this list, which was a surprise for Edward. I slipped some money in with it because I was determined to pay for something this week. "And everything on there, please?" Emmett nodded. "I can come in and get it, actually," I told him. Edward didn't like that and his grip on me tightened.

"I'll help him. You can stay here with lover boy," Rose said. I wasn't going to complain about some alone time with Edward, finally. Sitting next to him for two hours had me on a delicious edge and I wanted to attack him.

"Yes, I like that idea," Edward agreed fervently.

"We've got it covered," Rose told us. She and Emmett were holding hands as they headed into the store.

"That's a shift," Edward observed.

It was, for sure. "He offered her family, something she really hasn't ever had from what she's said. Her parents trotted her out like a show pony for fancy dinners and whatnot but they couldn't be bothered with things like birthdays, school recitals and stuff like that. I'm pretty sure she wants that more than anything." How anybody could be so disinterested in their child was beyond me, especially when she was as amazing as Rose was.

"Our parents are excited to meet you. Hell, if she wanted, I bet our grandparents would be here too."

That was probably too much. "Let's not overwhelm her. She's always been close to my dad and Alice's parents but I knew it would be hard on her to see us with them and not have family of her own around. It means a lot to her that you guys will be there." And to me. "It means a lot to me, too. Are you sure you'll be able to swing it?"

His fingers moved over my cheek. "I'll make it happen." I didn't doubt that he would.

"You're incredible," I told him, because he was. He shook his head to deny it but I wasn't having that and I kissed him. It had been entirely too long since I'd kissed him. Our tongues met and Edward moaned which made me want to do all sorts of dirty things to him. I straddled his legs and Edward moved up so that I was pressed against his groin. Oh yeah, just where I wanted to be.

His hand slipped under my sweater and he grabbed my left boob. Yes. Touch me. I moaned and ground myself against him. I couldn't help it. I'd been aching for him for days. We might be in trouble when he came for graduation. I might attack him in front of both our families. I rubbed myself against him over and over.

He stopped me, gripping my hips, but kissed me. I sighed and tried to get closer but he laughed and pulled way. "Baby, you know I'm dying to take you here and now but my brother and Rose could come back any minute."

I didn't care. "So?"

"So, I don't fancy my brother seeing any part of you that's for my eyes only."

Hmm, I suppose he had a point. I didn't want Rose seeing his glorious peen either. Plus I loved that he was being kind of possessive. I smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. I've been dying to jump you since I jumped you outside my door." It was the truth.

Edward laughed. "Don't you ever apologize for that, beautiful. I'm in the same boat, believe me. I thought about telling Em and Rose to take the cabin and just leave us there for the week."

I wouldn't have minded in the last. As long as I got him alone. "I would have been okay with that."

He smoothed my hair back. "Me too, but you deserve better than that. You've been cooped up in that apartment for too long from what you've told me. Let me give you the world." God, he was just the sweetest man in the world. How was he mine?

I had to attack him for that comment, I just did. Edward's lips were hard on mine and his hands were grabbing my ass and actually pulling me onto him now. Yes, yes. I pulled his hair and tried to get closer to him. Stupid jeans. I should have worn a skirt. And no panties, even if the ones I was wearing were super sexy and comfortable. Edward's hand found my jeans button and yes, he was going for it!

"Fuck, I should have known better than to leave you two alone!" Damn her. I loved her but she kept cockblocking me at every turn. We needed to have a discussion about this.

"We got alcohol," Em told Edward, not commenting on the way we were sitting. I sighed and refastened my jeans, getting back into my own seat. Half an hour til we got there. I could make it, barely.

"You're gonna need it," Rose told him, pulling away when he tried to touch her. Uh oh, what happened while they were in the store?

"Come on, Rosie, it was nothing," he pled.

"I can't believe you fucked her!"

Holy shit, she was jealous. Of who? Had they run into a past conquest in this nowhere town? How was that possible? Though he did kind of get around, from what we'd heard. "It was before I met you, baby. How can you be mad about that?"

Edward looked at me and seemed just as clueless. Of course he was. We'd been here and nearly having sex. Damn it.

"She's a skank, that's how I can be mad about it!" she told him, putting the groceries in the car. She tossed a magazine my way. "Can you believe he was with her?"

Gianna, the supermodel? Her face had been all over Victoria's Secret during our shopping spree. Wow. I was glad it was Emmett she was with and not Edward. Talk about intimidating.

Rose was staring at me, waiting for an answer. I didn't have one. "Um…" I shrugged. Edward stayed silent.

"Seriously, look at her! Her tits are fake, anybody can tell that's a dye job, she's had her eyes done and God knows what else," Rose shouted. Man, she was pissed. Was she actually intimidated? My Rose?

"Rosie, baby, she's got nothing on you. That's why you don't need to get worked up about it. It was just one night and she actually wanted Edward anyway."

Of course she did. Who could blame her? Edward stammered and looked pale. "Hey, don't drag me into this, I was in Paris!" He was? Edward shrugged. "I don't even know her! Why is this about me?"

"Because if you'd been there, I wouldn't have fucked her," Emmett told him. Yeah, she would have been all over Edward. My Edward. She was really beautiful, too.

"Yes, you would have because I wouldn't have and you like taking on women who are interested in me." Edward gripped me tight. "You asshole, why'd you bring me into this?"

Emmett shrugged. "I don't know. Desperation? Sorry." He shot me a smile. "He really had no interest in her. When I told him about her, he was already talking to you and said that he wouldn't have hooked up with her anyway. I swear. Scout's honor." He held up two fingers in a sign of peace.

"You were never a scout," Rose told him, knocking his fingers down. "It's sick that you take your brother's rejects."

"Just two!" he told her. Rose flounced around the car.

Edward watched me warily. "You're not mad, are you?"

How could I be? I shook my head and looked at the perfect face on the cover of Vogue again. "She's beautiful."

"You're beautiful and real. You've had me almost from word one, Bella." That made me smile. He was just as taken with me as I was him, somehow. "Please, don't let that shit upset you. You're the only woman I want."

"I know. It's hard to believe, but I know." I trusted him, I truly did. That didn't mean it didn't suck to know that the most beautiful women in the world would happily kill to be with him.

Edward took my face between his hands, his face serious, his eyes burning into mine. "I'll make you believe it every single day, baby," he vowed.

Sweet boy. "You don't have to, Edward. I get it and I know there will be days that women like this get to be around you and I'll be far away. I trust you, though. I know you'd never…" I couldn't finish the sentence. But I did trust him.

"I'm glad you trust me, love. I swear I'd never do anything to hurt you, especially that. You know how I feel about cheating." He was so intense. It was sexy and sweet.

I nodded. "I know. You'd never put anybody through what we both went through."

"No." He looked nervous and I needed to calm him down. We were great.

I threw the magazine behind us and leaned against him. "Well then, that's settled. Are you two going to kiss and make up now?" Rose glared at me but I just laughed. "Seriously, you can't be mad about something he did before you met and you just told him that he wasn't your guy a couple hours ago."

"That was before," Rose told me. I got it, though. She was jealous. I more than understood. Just hearing that Gianna wanted Edward got to me, and she'd actually had Emmett. I'd be green with envy too.

"Rosie, I know I did a lot of fucked up shit. I can't take it back. Frankly, I don't want to." Emmett smiled at her. "I had a lot of fun passing the time until I found you. Now I'll have a different kind of fun with you, if you'll let me."

Rose sighed and closed her eyes. "I can't take it when you say things like that," she told him. He got to her in a way nobody ever had. It still amazed me.

Emmett touched her cheek. I smiled because it was exactly the move Edward pulled on me. Rose opened her eyes. "Get used to it. You heard Mr. Smooth back there. It runs in the family. We've all got silver tongues." He stuck it out and made Rose laugh.

"That better not be all your tongue is good for." And there was the Rose I knew and loved. I was laughing nearly as hard as Emmett was.

"Trust me, Rosie. You may hate my past but it's good for some things, I promise." He licked his lips. Ew! But she'd be happy, I had no doubt.

"Would you just get us to the cabins so you can show her?" Edward interrupted. He was so anxious to get there. I loved it.

"That, my brother, is a very good idea. Ready Rosie?" She gave him the go ahead and he started the car. "Next stop, Mt. Rainier."

"Thank God," Edward murmured.

He was so cute. I kissed him. "Our vacation's finally beginning." Emmett got us out on the road and I relaxed into Edward. Just a little bit and we'd be alone. I couldn't wait.

Xoxoxoxox

"Here are your keys." Emmett and Rose gave us each a key. "They took care of everything we asked," he told Edward. I wasn't sure what that was about but Edward just smiled at my glance. Hmmm.

Emmett drove us down the dirt road. It was really pretty up here. There was snow higher up the mountain but the warmer weather had melted what was down here, so everything was brown and bare but still somehow beautiful. It was already getting colder though. I cuddled with Edward under the blanket he'd grabbed for us as the temperature started dropping.

"That's ours," Rose pointed out cabin fourteen as we drove past. What I could see of it was pretty. Wood and glass and stone. "And this is yours." Ours looked the same, only it was next to a river that I could hear babbling over the rocks. It was perfection.

I turned to Edward with a smile. "This is beautiful," I told him. I couldn't thank him enough for doing this.

He smiled and kissed my nose. "I hoped it would be. Ready for a week alone with me?"

More than ready. Before I could answer, Emmett stopped the car and got out. "You can have most of the week alone, but we'll be seeing you. We're doing dinner together on Sunday night."

"And drinking," Rose interjected.

Edward looked to me for approval. "Sounds good to me."

"Alright then." Edward got out and picked up some bags. I grabbed one of his and one of mine. Rose and Emmett carried some of the groceries for us. Edward opened the door and we were immediately enveloped in a cozy feeling. There was a fire crackling and it was warm and inviting in here. Edward piled our bags next to the couch and I did the same. We'd pick a room later.

I took the grocery bags from Emmett and Rose followed me into the kitchen. "We're just gonna put some things away," I told him. I needed to call my dad and tell him we'd made it too. Rose started putting things in the beautiful stainless-steel fridge while I put the staples in the cherry cabinets. This kitchen was gorgeous. I was going to spend some time in here, hopefully some naked time with Edward.

"Don't forget to call Charlie," Rose told me.

Right. I got distracted there for a second. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and dialed him.

"Hello."

"Hi, Dad. I just wanted to let you know that we got here okay."

He grunted. "Is Rose with you?"

I rolled my eyes. "She's right here, Dad. Say hi, Rose." I held out my phone.

"Hi, Chief," she called, her eyes twinkling with mischief. Shit. "How's the stache?" she asked.

Jesus. I yanked the phone away from her. "What was that she asked?" he asked when I got back on the line.

"Uh, she asked how you were." I kicked her and she laughed merrily.

"Oh." He didn't sound convinced. "I'm fine. So you all got up there safely?"

"Yes, Dad."

"Bella, I don't know how to tell you this…"

Oh shit, was something wrong? "What, Dad?"

He cleared his throat. "I was in the grocery store this morning and there was a magazine there with your fella and that Jane Turner. It said she was having his baby."

Oh Lord. "Dad, Jane is just his friend. I told you that. And you know better than to read the _Enquirer._ " Rose was laughing her fool head off even though she didn't know what he said. She had a guess, I imagined.

"It wasn't the _Enquirer_ , Bella. I don't trust that thing, obviously. It was something called _OK._ "

I sighed. "That one lies too, Dad." Emmett bellowed from the living room and Rose waved at me as she headed out of the kitchen. Good, they were leaving. I would have my man to myself.

"Well, how am I supposed to know? The internet is full of stuff about them and then I see it in a magazine and I get worried for my little girl," he grumped.

It was actually kind of cute. I tried to stay patient with him. "Dad, it's very sweet that you're looking out for me but I told you, I trust Edward and you will too, once you meet him. He's coming to graduation, so you can meet him then."

There was a pause and then he blew out a breath. "Well, that's good then. I, uh, hope you have a good time."

I fought back a laugh. "Thanks, Dad. I'll call you later in the week, okay?"

"You do that, Bella. Be safe." Oh God. I let out a choked laugh and he stuttered. "I didn't mean…don't…shit. Just take care. I love you."

"I love you too, Dad." I got off the phone, grateful that was over. I went back to admiring the kitchen to get my mind off that silly call with my father.

Edward came in to the kitchen looking positively edible. Well, this was the room for it. "Baby, what are you doing?"

"This kitchen is amazing! Granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, glass top stove…" I touched the granite and pictured him taking me while I sat on it. I loved this room, I truly did.

"I'm glad you like it." He sounded perturbed. He was just as worked up as I was, I knew. I walked over and slid my arms around his waist.

"Did I tell you I'm very talented in the kitchen?" I asked, scratching his back lightly. He was wearing some blue and white flannel shirt that was so hot on him. It was simple but still, hot.

"I believe you might have mentioned that," he replied, pushing me back toward the counter. Oh yes, he got my drift. I did love this man and his delightfully dirty mind.

"Would you like me to show you?" I asked, like I didn't know the answer.

He lifted me onto the counter and I smiled. We were on the same page. We almost always were.

"I'd love for you to show me," he replied, settling between my legs and grabbing my ass. It was like a magnet to him. So cute. "I thought you'd want to start our tour in the bedroom."

I laughed and wrapped my arms around him. I'd make his day with this, I knew it. "It's been four very long days, Edward. We can take our time and tour every room but right now I'd like you to fuck me in the kitchen." No more waiting.

Edward's mouth fell open and then his lips were on mine. His hands left my butt and my fly was open and my pants were coming down before I even really registered the movement. I lifted myself up so he could pull them down before he was stopped when they got caught on my boots. "What the fuck," he demanded, pulling, the cutest, most frustrated look on his face.

I laughed at how adorable he was. "My boots," I told him between giggles. He growled and finally managed to get my boots off after a brief struggle. My jeans quickly followed the boots he tossed across the kitchen. I unbuttoned his shirt and threw it off and he followed with my sweater. I was there in nothing but that lace black bra set I'd gotten at Nancy Meyer. Expensive as hell and I wanted nothing more than for him to shred them as he tore them from my body. His fingers moved over the material. His eyes were dark and hot as he touched me. I needed him. Now.

"Edward," I called his name, pushing myself against his hand. "Now, damn it." I took my bra off and threw it with the rest of our clothes. Edward's eyes were on my body as he kicked off his shoes and yanked off his pants and boxers with one hard tug. He was thick and hard and ready for me. Yes.

"These are hot," he told me, running his fingers over my underwear reverently.

"They cost a fortune. I told Rose I'd scream if you ripped them off me." It had seemed silly at the time. Now I wanted it. "She said damn right I would." His eyes got darker and he tugged on the panties. They ripped a little and fuck me if I wasn't ready to come already. I moaned and Edward pulled again, the material ripping away on the left side. He went to the right side and repeated it. Jesus. Was it hot in here? I wanted nothing more than I wanted Edward right now. He threw the panties on the floor. So fucking hot. I felt like I couldn't get enough air.

"Was that what you had in mind?" he asked, his voice husky and oh so sexy.

"Yes." You nailed it. Now nail me. "Now make me scream."

Edward groaned and pushed my legs apart, his strong hands on my thighs. He pulled me to the edge of the counter and was inside me a second later. Fuck. Yes. Just like that. I moaned as thrust into me time and time again. My fingers dug into his muscular back, my legs wrapped around him. Anything to get him closer, harder and faster.

"Edward, oh, God," I managed as his fingers moved over my clit. I threw my head back and yelled his name. His teeth sank into my neck and holy shit, I saw stars. I came hard as he pounded inside me, coming shortly after. I could feel him filling me and that made me even hotter.

I collapsed against his chest, trying to catch my breath while he did the same. Finally, I could speak. "I was wrong. You're the one who's talented in the kitchen. Masterful even," I told him because damn, he really was.

He laughed and kissed my hair. "I think I owe you some new underwear."

Ha! I grinned up at him. "It was totally worth whatever Rose spent. You don't owe me anything."

He kissed me softly as he pulled back. I hated not having that connection and made a noise which made him kiss me again. "Now that we've thoroughly explored the kitchen, I'd like to take you to the bedroom and thoroughly explore the bed. Does that work for you?"

If he insisted. "I think I could get on board with that plan."

"I thought you might." He picked me up and carried me into a bedroom. He pulled down the fluffy comforter before putting me on the bed and moving in next to me, pulling me into his arms. "Thank you for coming with me."

I'd go anywhere with him. I touched his cheek and met his eyes. "Thank you for being with me when you could be with anyone."

He shook his head. "Only you, Bella. You're my one."

There was that one thing again. I'd brought it up once more since he left but he told me he'd tell me this week. "Are you going to explain that?"

He smiled and kissed me. "Tomorrow night, I promise."

"I'm holding you to that." The way he said it, the look on his face, it made me feel like it might be what I hoped it was; that he loved me like I loved him. I'd find out tomorrow. I snuggled into him and rested my head on his shoulder. Another something to look forward to. It seemed I always had something to look forward to with Edward. I loved it. I loved him. Hopefully I'd be telling him that tomorrow. I didn't think I could wait much longer than that.

* * *


	40. The Best Word

Mmm, I felt a hard body and soft lips pressed to my skin. His lips were moving over my right shoulder lazily, softly, like a feather touching me. My nipples immediately hardened and I felt wet, just from that simple touch of his mouth on my body.

"Edward," I managed.

His teeth scraped over my neck. Jesus. "Good morning, baby."

That didn't remotely cover it. I turned so I could see his handsome face. "It most certainly is." I pressed my ass against him, letting him know that he was starting something and he damn well better be willing to finish it. Last night, he'd been so amazing. Fast and hard in the kitchen and sweet and loving in the bedroom. I loved both sides of him, the animal and the angel.

Edward let out a sexy groan and rubbed himself against my butt. "Are you taunting me this early in the morning, Miss Swan?"

"I told you it's never taunting or teasing if you intend to follow through, Mr. Cullen." And I intended to follow through. I looped my right leg over his and felt my eyes cross when he took the hint, rubbing his cock against me.

"Bella." He said my name as he entered me, sending shivers through my body as he breathed into my ear. He sucked on my earlobe as he moved inside of me. God he felt amazing. So hard inside me. His perfect hand slid over my hip and he found my clit, moving his fingers against me just like I liked him to

I let my head fall back against his chest and let the sensations take me. "Yes, Edward." He moved faster and pinched my clit, which made me moan. It wasn't going to take long. I think I wanted him inside me even before I woke up. I lifted my leg up higher and he shifted, hitting that spot inside me he found so unerringly. Nobody else had before. He hit it again and I lost myself in the feeling before I finally let go, clamping around him. His lips were on my neck as he got his own release, filling me. I loved that feeling.

He pulled out of me and held me tight. "I love you." Had I heard that right? That wasn't wishful thinking. He'd said it, he had to have. I needed to see his face, to see if it was real, so I moved out of his arms and started to turn. "Bella, I didn't…" He broke off when I turned to face him, his gaze boring into mine. I saw it, there in his eyes. He meant it. I felt tears start to prick my eyes. He loved me. For real. We felt the same. Relief, joy and so many other emotions I couldn't name flooded me.

"You love me," I managed.

His eyes were searching my face, looking for something. I hope he could see it there, not that I wasn't going to give him the words back because I was. They meant the world to me. "Yes."

Yes. He loved me. I couldn't stop the smile that moved over my face. I wouldn't want to. "I love you, too, Edward."

Edward's smile was breathtaking, but before I could enjoy it for long, his lips were on mine. I laughed with relief. Finally, it was out there. My hands slipped into his hair and he pinned me to the mattress as he kissed me all over my face, saying "I love you, Bella," time and time again. I lost count, but hopefully I'd hear it so often that it would be impossible to keep track. I gave him the words back as often as I heard them. I always would.

I tried to pull him closer to me. It felt like I couldn't possibly be close enough. "I'm such an idiot," he told me when we came up for air. "I had all these romantic plans; dinner and candlelight and a bubble bath and I blurt it out right after we have morning sex."

He was the sweetest man alive and he was mine. I laughed, because candlelight and fancy dinners were great, but I wouldn't take back the way he told me for all the fancy dinners in the world. "It was sweet that you wanted to do that, but I like the way you said it. It's like you couldn't wait anymore."

I rubbed his back and let him know that he wasn't the only one who had trouble not saying it. "I've been trying not to say it all week long, thinking I had to wait until we had more time together or until you said it first or whatever rules I was supposed to follow according to Rose." He looked confused, which wasn't surprising. Those rules were ridiculous and unimportant. They had nothing to do with us. "Never mind, it really isn't important. I should have told you before you left, or yesterday when you came back to me."

Edward shook his head. "What a pair we are. I nearly said it so many times before I left or on the phone or on Skype." That made me laugh, because Skype was for other, dirtier things, at least our Skype talks were. "Okay, maybe it wasn't meant for our Skype sessions, but I felt it and it was hard to contain."

I touched his cheek. "I'm just glad we don't have to wait to say it anymore."

He smiled that killer smile and kissed me. "I'll say it to you every day." Please do. "I hope you'll still let me spoil you with dinner and candlelight tonight."

Like I'd stop him? "I'd love for you to spoil me with dinner and candlelight. I don't think I'll ever say no to something like that. Are you cooking?"

He shook his head. "God, no, baby. I love you; I don't want to kill you." I laughed. So he wasn't good in the kitchen. Well, he was good at some things in the kitchen. Very good. "I arranged for the restaurant at the lodge to make us dinner. Em's going to pick it up."

"I'm glad you don't want to kill me. I love you and I want to cook for you, but we'll do that another night."

He smiled brightly. "I look forward to it, love." Good God, he called me 'love.' How incredible was that?

"Me, too," I told him, kissing him again.

His fingers combed through my hair as he held me against his chest. "What would you like to do today, baby?"

That was a good question. What should we do on our first full day here? One answer was obvious. "Hmmm, well, more of this for sure," I said, which made him laugh and kiss my neck. I was actually anxious to get my hands on his script as well. Did that make me too much of a dork? "I'd like to curl up in front of the fireplace and read your script, too, if that's okay?"

"I'd love that, Bella. I brought the London one and six romantic comedies that Marcus wanted me to read over." He wrinkled his nose. "They think I should try that genre to take a break from the action and drama pieces. You can pick my next project."

I could? I loved that he wanted me to be part of his career in some small way. "Really? You trust my taste that much?"

He chuckled. "Of course I do. Who's my biggest fan, who found me when nobody else did?" Oh, God, that was embarrassing. Stalker Bella. "I'm glad that you did, baby. I can't imagine never meeting you." Nor could I. I'd never be sorry that I looked for him.

"I guess sometimes a stalker is a good thing." I bit my lip, hoping he'd take that how it was meant.

His grin flashed and a laugh boomed out. "You can stalk me anytime. How about you stalk me into the shower?"

I adored him, my perverted boyfriend who loved me. "You're such a perv."

"A perv for you, baby."

"Well, get your sexy ass up so I can follow it into the shower." Following that fine ass anywhere was not an issue.

He laughed at me as he got out of bed. I watched the rippling muscles, tan skin and overall gorgeous hunk of man near the bed. "Who's the perv now?" he asked, looking delighted at my perusal.

He asks that as he stands around naked. What's a girl to do? "I'd say it was the guy standing around naked without a care in the world. Give you a raincoat and we have a flasher situation."

He smiled mischievously. "I'll show you a flasher." Before I knew what he was doing, the covers were off and it was cold. I yelled in surprise. "See, flasher." I was out of the bed and after him as he laughed and ran into the bathroom. Watching that fine ass flex as he moved was a treat.

He had nowhere to go so I stalked him slowly as he leaned against the counter. I trapped him between my arms. "It looks like I caught my very own pervert."

"And what will you do with me now?" he asked, tracing my arm with his fingers. It felt good and goosebumps formed everywhere he touched.

What to do? Something dirty I hoped. "Perverted things, I suppose. You have to be good for something."

"Well, we've already established that I'm really good in the shower. Would you like to try me out in there again?" His grin couldn't be resisted.

I laughed and stood back to assess him. He sure had a thing for that shower. I would never complain about that though. "What more could you possibly prove in there?"

He thought for a bit. "I could make you come three times?" he asked.

Good enough for me. I moved to turn on the water, making sure that my ass brushed up against him. He groaned and I hid my smile as I stepped into the shower. "Alright, big shot, show me what you got." I crooked a finger at him.

"Challenge accepted, Bella." He joined me and it wasn't long before he was living up to his promise and then eclipsing it. Four times. The man was talented in every room in the cabin.

Xoxoxoxox

Edward took one end of the couch while I took the other, our feet meeting and tangling together in the middle. There was a fire roaring in the fireplace and outside it was gray and looked like it might snow at any time.

I picked up the first script on the pile Edward had set on the coffee table and fought a sneer at the title. "Real Love." Lame. I flipped it open and my eyes were immediately drawn to the note in the margin. It was great! I started laughing as I pictured the scene it depicted.

Edward looked over at me. "You're laughing already? That might be the one then."

Not with that title. I shook my head and tried to catch my breath so I could read to him. "It's not the script. It's this note." I cleared my throat and got ready for a dramatic reading. "Jennifer Love Hewitt will be playing the part of the clumsy waitress. She trips over her voluminous fake boobs and spills coffee in the lap of our hero." Reading it aloud set me off all over again. "Who wrote this?"

Edward joined in my laughter. "My agent, Marcus, has a habit of casting certain actors and actresses that he doesn't care for as characters that are either useless or die or something. In _Wild at Heart_ he had Tom Cruise playing the part of my horse."

Oh my God. I was dying. I couldn't remember the last time I laughed this hard. Edward was grinning watching me lose it. I tried to settle down. "I get the Tom Cruise thing because who doesn't think he's nuts, but why Jennifer Love Hewitt? I thought only women hated her." I did and Marcus was right about the boobs. I once joked with Rose that her breasts should get twin billing in anything she did.

Edward laughed. "I guess she came to him for representation and he was less than impressed. He turned her down and then she got that part on _Ghost Whisperer._ He carries a grudge even though he didn't want her."

Ha, Marcus had class. "I think I like Marcus."

He pulled on my foot. "I know he'll like you."

"Yeah?" I had to admit, I was a bit worried about how his Hollywood reps would feel about me. I didn't quite have the cache that Irina did. "Your people don't have a problem with me?"

Edward set his script down and tugged mine out of my hands. That was okay with me. We had better things to do than read. "No, they really don't. Marcus has zero interest in my personal life as long as it doesn't affect the bottom dollar. Kate's the only one I thought might have a problem but she just wants to see me happy."

I moved toward him, relaxing between his legs and laying my head on his chest. He put his arms around me and we watched the fire. Trust the girl to be the difficult one. "She's your publicist?"

"Yeah, that's Kate. Her husband, Garrett, is my business manager. He negotiates deals, endorsements, appearances, stuff like that. Mom heard they were the best in the business and she got me hooked up with them early in my career."

"That's good, that she was looking out for you." I was happy his Mom was in the business and knew what she was doing, clearly.

"They all do. Kate's on board with whatever we want to do." I turned to look at him. What did that mean? "If you want us to go public, we can. If you want to remain a secret, we can try to do that, too." I most certainly did not want to be a secret. "I'm not in favor of that either. I don't necessarily want to put your name out there but I do want to let the world know that I'm taken."

I toyed with his fingers as I thought about it. "What do you think would happen if they did get my name?"

Edward tilted my face up so he could see me. "I think, initially, they'd try to find you, maybe get pictures of you going to class, try to get pictures of you talking to guys and saying that you're cheating on me." Cheating on him? I would never! Edward laughed at my reaction. "I'd know better, of course, but happy couples are boring. First we'd be the flavor of the month, and then they'd look for us to break up because that's more interesting than a happy couple in love."

Fuck that. "I like being a happy couple in love."

"And so we will be. How do you feel about it?"

It was a question I'd thought about but still didn't really have an answer for. There were good and bad sides either way. "I don't know. I value my privacy but I want to be with you. I want us to be able to go places and do things and I know that will mean photographers and fans and stuff. I guess for now I like the idea of you saying you're taken but not giving up my name yet." What would we do when we went to Europe though? "What about Berlin?"

"What about it?" he asked.

"Are we going to be able to go anywhere together when you're not working? I guess that's when it might come up."

Edward looked thoughtful. "There are ways. Secret entrances to clubs and restaurants and stuff that will let us avoid the press. But…" he stopped.

"But what?"

"Cameras, videophones, Twitter…I can't stop people from taking pictures of us or tweeting my location and the fact that I'm with someone. There's a reason why I tended to just go straight to the hotel when I wasn't at a premiere or an interview when we started talking." He smiled. How he could smile when he spoke of how little privacy he really had was beyond me. "A reason beyond wanting to get back to my room so I could see what my sexy stranger had to say, that is."

Okay, that made me smile too. "Oh yeah? You weren't just anxious to talk to me?"

He kissed my cheek. "I was incredibly anxious to talk to you. It was the highlight of my trip, by far."

I one upped him by kissing his lips. I had to after hearing that. "I love that."

"I love you," he told me again. I could easily deal with hearing that every day until the end of time.

"I love you, too. But beyond that, you didn't want to deal with the fans and the press."

"Yeah," he said with a shrug. "I had invites to clubs and restaurants and shit like that but it's honestly more of a pain in the ass than a good time." His thumb stroked my cheek. "Granted, it might be different with you, Rose and my brother. I know I'd have fun with you, but I guarantee someone would post a picture of us somewhere."

I could see that. "Does that bother you?"

"Only in so much as they'll be after you then. I'm used to it." He sighed and watched me anxiously. "I'm afraid that it'll be too much for you and you'll decide you don't want to deal with it, with me and my life."

That was the dumbest thing I ever heard. Nobody could drive me away. I held his face in my hands and tried to show him just how impossible that was. "Edward Cullen! I don't care if the press camps out on my doorstep and follows me into class, I will never, ever, not want to be with you."

His eyes closed and his face relaxed. "I'll do anything I can to prevent that from happening, Bella. If it comes down to it I can get you a bodyguard or…" I cut him off by kissing him. We'd worry about something like that if we needed to, but he needed to know that no matter what, I wasn't running away. His arms held me tight.

I pulled back, still holding his face between my hands and staring into his eyes to get my message across. "I know that dating you won't always be easy. You'll be far away filming, you'll be kissing beautiful women as part of your job." I hated that part and he didn't look too enthused about it either. But we'd live with it. I was determined. "There's the press and the fans and women everywhere who want you." I knew that all too well. "I was one of them after all." That got him to smile again. "But I know you love me and I love you. I know we'll find a way to bridge the distance. We'll talk on the phone, Skype, email and play _Words_." His grin widened which made me laugh. "Did you think I'd give that up now that I have you? I live for your dirty little messages."

"I live for yours," he agreed.

"Good. We can make it work, Edward. I don't want a bodyguard unless things become insane. I doubt thousands of paparazzi will descend on the U-Dub campus to take pictures of me. They've got way cooler targets in LA." I might be news for a day or two, but how long really would they care about my traipsing to and from class?

"I love that you're so calm about this."

It was easy. If the choice was him or not him, I'd choose him with all that crap that came my way. "I've given it some thought, of course. For now, I want to enjoy the time I have with you. When we decide to come out or get outed as a couple, we'll deal with the fallout. And even if it's a pain in the ass, it'll be worth it at the end of the day if I get to be with you."

He kissed me hard. "I love you, Bella Swan. You're absolutely perfect for me."

Damn right I was. I touched his nose. "That's right. Don't you forget it."

"Never, baby."

Xoxoxoxox

I walked into the bathroom as Edward had instructed and smiled when I saw the tub filled to the brim with bubbles and candles around the edge of the bath. It smelled like my lotion, some apricot and vanilla bubble bath perhaps? The man spoiled me to death but I wouldn't complain. I sank into the water and relaxed as the heat soothed my somewhat sore muscles. Hey, we'd been having a lot of sex already and we'd only just begun. I'd need this bath again I imagined.

When I was done, I got out and dried off, making sure to use my lotion to enhance the scent already on my skin. I debated dressing for dinner. I'd brought a dress at Rose's suggestion, but instead I slipped into the peach nightie that she'd picked out. It was soft and I felt beyond sexy as I smoothed it over my body. I couldn't wait to see what Edward thought.

I didn't have to wait long. I heard him coming down the hallway. "Baby, dinner's here."

He stopped in the doorway, staring at me, his eyes moving over my body. Somebody looked hungry and I didn't think it was for the food he'd been setting out in the kitchen. I smiled at the desire on his face.

"I'm almost ready." I put on the matching robe and approached Edward as he appeared to be immobile. How much did I love that I could do that to him? "Cat got your tongue?" I asked when I reached him.

He ran a finger over my shoulder. "How am I supposed to do something like eat when you're looking like this?" His nostrils flared and I knew that he'd gotten a whiff of the lotion. I felt positively powerful knowing that I could drive him crazy with a little lingerie and a little scent.

I giggled. "I thought this was supposed to make you hungry." I pointed at my attire and he smirked.

"Not for food." He kissed me, his hands moving down my arms, pressing the silky material against me. I could take him, right here and now, but I wanted to see what he had in store for me.

"Dessert comes after dinner," I informed him, linking our fingers and pulling him down the hallway. The kitchen was much like the tub had been, lit with candles. Soft music was playing and the table was set. Champagne was chilling and something smelled amazing. "It's beautiful." I loved that he still tried to make tonight special, even after we'd already said those all important words to each other.

"It's nothing compared to you, but I wanted to give you what I could."

God, he killed me. I slid my arms around his neck. "You give me more than I ever could have imagined." His lips met mine and his arms were strong around me. I slid my fingers into his hair, getting lost in him. I wanted him now, pretty table and delicious food be damned. We could cold food later for all I cared.

Edward pulled back and I tried to rein in my raging libido. He led me to the table and it was then that I saw the rose lying beside my plate. "You thought of everything." I brought the perfect bud to my nose and smelled its rich scent. Edward pulled out my chair and slid it in when I sat.

"I tried." He poured our champagne and grabbed a bowl. "Salad?" he asked.

"That'd be great, thanks." He served us and I looked at the rest of the food. The steak looked delicious and the potato and broccoli were…I laughed when I noticed they were covered in cheese.

"What?"

"Cheese," I managed between giggles. One of our very first conversations.

He grinned and sat down. "I didn't figure you'd mind."

Never. "No, even though it's not Blubell." He kissed my cheek and we both dug in. It was as good as it looked. Hopefully when I cooked for him I could do half as well. Emmett and Rose had gotten everything on my list and I planned on fixing something in the next day or two.

Once dinner was done, Edward carried the dishes to the sink. I stood to help him but he stopped me. "I've got it. Take your champagne into the living room and I'll be right in." I smiled. He was still spoiling me. I went into the living room and took off my robe, setting it over the back of the couch. It was plenty warm in the room with the fire. I felt rather than heard Edward come in. There was just some sort of buzz in me whenever he was near.

I smiled and held out a hand to him. He took it before sitting on the couch next to me and taking me into his arms. I rested my head on his chest and we both watched the fire. His fingers combed through my hair and I closed my eyes and let it take me away. It felt so good in his arms. I felt his chest move beneath me and opened my eyes as he pulled me sideways so that I could look at him. I had no problem with that. I smiled and put my legs across his lap. Edward's eyes bugged out a little and he put a hand on thigh. Yes! I really wanted to make love with him by the fire.

"Bella." He took a deep breath. What was with him? Was he nervous? Over what? "As you know, I had every intention of telling you that I loved you tonight, but I already did that."

Yes, he had but he could keep right on saying it. "You can tell me again, though."

He stroked my cheek and smiled. "I love you. So much. More than I ever thought possible. I…" he broke off and shook his head.

I had to help him out. "I love you, too, Edward. I thought I was in love before but it was never like this. It sort of just takes up everything, you know what I mean? Like I'm filled with it and all I want is you." Nothing I felt for Tyler was remotely close to this. I'd been a fool.

He smiled. "Yes, baby. That's it exactly. And it's more than that, really." More? How so? "I told you before I left that you were my one."

Ahh, finally! He was going to explain his mysterious one comment. I assumed I got it now though. "Yeah, you did and I still don't know quite what it means, unless you meant you loved me."

He touched my cheek again. "Yes, I did mean that but I meant more as well. There's a history in my family." A history? That wasn't what I imagined he would say. "For as far back as we can remember, every man in my family has what they call 'the one.' Basically, the minute they laid eyes on the woman they were meant to spend their lives with, they knew."

And I was his one? His life? Really? "You mean love at first sight?"

He smiled. "Yes, more or less. Or maybe love at first word, in our case."

"So you're saying that I'm the person you want…" I couldn't even say it. Was it possible? I was still wrapping my head around the fact that he was in love with me. Now he was saying it was forever?

"The person I want to marry, grow old with, love forever? Yes, you are." He was watching me, smiling softly and it felt right, everything he was saying.

A tear slid down my cheek. "This is for real? I'm not dreaming or imagining this? You want me?" Forever?

He laughed and held my face, brushing the tears away. "Of course I want you. I love you, I told you that."

I managed a smile. "I know and I'm still wrapping my mind around that and now you're telling me that it's like we're fated to be together forever."

He studied me intently. "Don't you feel it?" he asked. He sounded nervous again.

"Yes, but it's hard for me to believe. It's hard enough for me to accept the fact that you, Edward Cullen, are my boyfriend. It's surreal." Another tear fell and he wiped it away.

"I'm just me, Bella."

He was so much more than that. "You're just you, yes, and I love you, so much. But you could have anyone, Edward." I saw that look on his face and I knew I had to stop him before he got all worked up. "I know what you're going to say and I'm not doubting myself. I know you love me, it just amazes me because of who you are and what you have available to you." He could have anybody but I was his one, however that came to be. How amazing was that?

"I don't want anybody but you. I never will again."

Those words! I couldn't contain my happiness. "I don't think you could ever say anything that could mean more to me than that, other than I love you, of course."

"I do love you," he said it again.

"I love you, too. Tell me how it works, this one thing."

He chuckled and slid me completely onto his lap. "Well, with my great grandfather, it was at some party. He was with a date and he saw my great grandmother across the room with her fiancée, believe it or not." Holy shit! Edward grinned at my expression. "Yep. He left his date and asked her to dance. She returned the ring that night and they were married two weeks later. They were married for sixty-seven years before he passed away. She went within three months after he died."

That was incredibly beautiful and also incredibly sad. I was glad they were together though. "They had a long, happy life together and Grandpa Cullen swears that she didn't want to live without him. Grandpa saw Grandma at a park. She worked as a nanny and was there with two little kids. He sat next to her, asked if they were her kids and hoped and prayed that she wasn't married. She told him she was a nanny and he was really relieved."

I bet he was! "What if she'd been married?"

Edward shrugged. "I don't know, honestly. She was meant to be his, so maybe he would have fought for her, or maybe he would have had the strength to walk away." He stopped and thought for a minute. "If she was married and happy, I think he would have let her be. He'd want her happiness above anything else."

I leaned my head on his shoulder. "That's beautiful."

"It's the truth. If you were taken and happy without me, I'd walk away."

The hell he would! I sat up and glared at him. "That will never happen, Edward Cullen. I'd never be happy without you. Don't you even think such a thing."

He squeezed me. "Thank God for that, because I'd hate to be miserable for the rest of my life."

He damn well better remember that. "I'll make you miserable if you ever think of leaving me. If I'm your 'one,' you're mine and therefore I own you."

He laughed and kissed me hard. I held onto him. Just the thought of him walking away made me sick. "Don't you worry, Bella. I'm yours forever. That's kind of the point of 'the one.'"

It better be. Enough of that nonsense. "Good. What about your parents?"

Edward got a big grin and proceeded to tell me about his father taking a parking space that his mother claimed was hers and her confronting him and going off. How great was it that their story included her calling him a fucking asshole? I guess it just went to show that all these 'one' stories were different. I laughed my ass off. "That's classic! I love how she went with him anyway."

He leaned his head against mine. "She had to. The women feel it too; they just don't necessarily know what it is until we explain."

I loved that he had. I kissed his cheek. "When did you know that I was yours?"

Edward made a humming noise. "Emmett knew before I did, honestly. When I got home and told him about you, he told me you were my 'one.' I argued with him about it a little, because I hadn't met you yet, so how could I love you? But a part of me knew he was right. I mean, I basically spent my entire trip thinking about you and longing to talk to you, even if it was only a few lines on _Words with Friends_."

Our story was beautiful too. And very different. And a bit more X rated. "I like that."

"Me too. I knew for sure when you walked into your bedroom, after I'd heard everything you said about me to Alice and I knew that your feelings for me were real. You were so beautiful in that black dress, Bella, but your eyes were so sad, thinking that I hated you. How could I? You're the only one for me."

That seemed so long ago, but it had only been a week. So much had changed, and all of it for the better. I kissed him. "You don't know what it means to hear you say that, Edward. When you're halfway across the world and I'm sad and lonely, I'm going to remember everything you said here and I'm going to hold on to it until I see you again."

"I'll say it as often as you need me to, Bella."

I knew he would but I wouldn't need him to. I'd remember this day forever. "I'll remember it, Edward," I vowed.

He didn't say anything; he just put his arm under my legs and stood with me.

This looked promising. "Where are you taking me?"

"Closer to the fire." He set me on the comforter I'd noticed there earlier. It seemed we were of a like mind on the fireplace. "I want make love to you here. I've thought about it since the first time I saw pictures of this place."

I opened my arms and he slid into them, kissing me as his hands began to wander over my nightgown, touching the thin straps on my shoulders. I moaned. "Edward, touch me."

"I am, baby." His finger moved down my neck, over my collarbone and along the curve of my breasts. "You're stunning. I don't have any words for how gorgeous you are."

I needed to see him. I unbuttoned the white shirt he'd worn to dinner. He'd nearly been wearing a suit, minus the jacket and tie. He looked super hot. Edward helped me get the shirt off him as he kissed along my neck.

I don't know why it occurred to me all of a sudden but I had to ask. "Edward?"

"Hmm?" he responded as he pulled the strap down my left shoulder, following it with his lips, kissing every inch of skin.

"Is Rose Emmett's 'one'?"

Edward laughed, tickling my neck. "Yes. He wanted her the first time she yelled at him on the phone and he knew the instant she walked into the room."

That was great. I had to giggle. Rose might not be accepting of the idea of forever as I was. "That's going to be interesting."

His teeth scraped along my neck. "Yes, it is. He's thrilled that our wives will be best friends." He stopped moving when he realized what he said. Did he think it bothered me? Was I mad? I'd marry him tomorrow if he asked, probably. Though we'd have to slip my dad a Xanax or seven when we told him.

I bit my lip as he looked at me warily. "So you're going to marry me, huh?"

He nodded and looked so terrified that I had to laugh. "Good thing. I don't think 'the one' should just be a girlfriend."

He laughed. "No, she shouldn't. She should be a Cullen. Fate says so."

"Bella Cullen, Isabella Cullen, Mrs. Edward Cullen. It kind of has a ring to it, don't you think?" A major ring. I wanted it. It was so soon but it sounded right. If I had a notebook on me I'd totally be doodling it in the margins. Maybe I should do that on his scripts.

"I think it does, baby." He moved the other strap down my shoulder and tugged the gown over my breasts. "You're so beautiful."

I felt my cheeks start to heat, along with the rest of me, and it had nothing to do with the fire. "Make love to me, Edward."

"I will, baby." He pushed up and undid his pants. I helped him along by sliding down his zipper. He pulled both down a bit before standing to get them all the way off. He came back to me, sucking on my breast while he pulled the nightie the rest of the way down. His teeth pulled gently on my nipple before he kissed down further, following the descent of the gown as he pulled it off me. He set it nicely on the coffee table which surprised me after his clothes had gone flying. "I don't want anything happening to that," he told me.

Oh yeah, he was a fan. "I'm glad you like it." His lips were on my stomach and his hands were on me and I could barely breathe. I pressed myself against him, urging him to take me. "Please, Edward."

"Please what, Bella?" His teeth grazed my hip bone.

"I want you inside me. I need to feel it."

He didn't say a word. His eyes met mine as he slid back up my body and pressed himself against me. I moaned because he felt so good and I spread my legs wider. His beautiful eyes held mine and I saw it there in his gaze. "I love you," he told me as he entered me. I loved the words but I loved the way it felt when he looked at me like that as well. I could see the love there.

"I love you, too." I brought his lips to mine as he began to move inside of me. He twined his fingers with mine, our hands on either side of my head. He was so gentle and it was so perfect that I didn't even know how to describe it. This was easily the best thing that had ever happened to me and it was all because of this man and the fact that he loved me and according to his family lore, he always would.

It felt like we made love for hours. I knew that wasn't the case, but that was how complete and sated I felt when we both came down from our moment together. We each said our "I love you's" one more time and I snuggled into his chest. My eyes were heavy and I felt him move enough to pull the covers over us. I could have sworn I heard him say something about me being his 'one' again. The thought made me smile. One wasn't a bad number anymore.


	41. Drunken Words

It was strange, reading movie scripts about a couple meeting and falling in love. I mean, I'd read hundreds of books with the same premise but reading and knowing that your boyfriend would be playing the guy falling in love with what would no doubt be some incredibly beautiful actress was a bit disconcerting. I was trying to tuck that away and pick the best movie, not just the one that had the least amount of nakedness and making out. This was his career, after all, and it was silly to let it bug me.

"This has to be it," I told him. It was by far the funniest and sweetest and it even had more couple interaction that three of other scripts. I'd done my duty. It did only have one sex scene, at least. That's not why I chose it though. It really was the best.

"So, that's the one, then?" he asked, taking my copy and giving it a glance.

For sure. "Yes. It's funny, romantic and there's only one sex scene." Yeah, I just had to get that fact out there. I couldn't help it. I was a very visual girl and it was far too easy to see Edward with some famous actress. My mind kept putting Irina in the lead role much to my utter irritation.

Edward threw the script on the coffee table and tickled me. I shrieked and tried to get away but he was just too strong and damn if that wasn't sexy as hell. He had me underneath him in a matter of moments really. Not that I was about to complain about our position.

He smiled down at me. God he was beautiful. "Only one sex scene, huh?"

"Yes." I chewed on my lip and wondered if I should tell him what I was feeling. I didn't want to upset him or put him off the movie. "I figure it's the lesser of all evils."

His smile faded. "Bella, if you don't want me to, I can…"

See, I shouldn't have said anything. "No, Edward. I'm not going to interfere with your career. Will I like seeing you in bed with some gorgeous actress? No, but I understand it's your job. This will be good and it really it is funny."

His eyes darkened and he kissed me. I fell into it immediately, like I always would with him. He broke our kiss and looked at me, his eyes full of love and concern. "I can tell you there's honestly not much less romantic than filming a sex scene." It sure didn't look like that on the big screen. Edward laughed at my skeptical expression. "For real, baby. You're wearing this version of a male thong that is uncomfortable as hell. There's a microphone hovering about a foot over your back. There's someone in your ear the whole time telling you to move this way, moan at this point, flex this muscle. It's so annoying."

That would be irritating and it made me feel a bit better about things. Was it wrong that I kind of wanted to see him in the thong? "Really? You don't get turned on at all?" How could he not, with some nearly naked hot chick in bed with him?

He shook his head and got off me, sitting back against the couch and pulling me into his lap. I loved being on his lap, for more than sexual purposes even. It felt so good in his arms. "You know how I was dating Irina when we filmed _Wild at Heart,_ right?"

I couldn't help the face that I made and Edward laughed at my expression. He got such a kick out of my hatred for her. "Yes, I remember all too well," I muttered.

Edward stopped laughing and stroked my cheek. "Well, I know you saw it so you know there were some love scenes in there."

Holy shit. Please tell me those weren't real. I had heard that some actors really did have sex and it would make me sick if he'd done that, even if it had been before me. I wouldn't be able to watch that movie ever again which would be a travesty because he was so good in it. "You didn't really have sex with her on camera, did you? I've heard that some actors actually do that."

Edward was roaring with laughter and he almost knocked me over. I managed to catch myself and give him a dirty look for laughing at me. It was an honest question! "God, no, baby. That's just wrong. Do you know how many people are in the room? No, thank you."

That was good but he still shouldn't have laughed. He smiled at my expression and kissed me again. Okay, that was worth being laughed at. "My point was, even though I was with Irina and at the time I found her mildly attractive…" Mildly? I started laughing my ass off. He was so cute when he tried to downplay things for me. Edward grinned at me before finishing his thought. "I didn't get turned on. It's too technical and you're interrupted constantly."

"Oh, well, that's good I guess." It still kind of sucked but I would deal.

Edward put his hand under my chin and brought my gaze to his. "I mean it, Bella. From here on out, you're the only girl that's going to turn me on."

He was too perfect. But it's not like he could completely control his physical reaction to stimuli. Health class had taught me that. "I love hearing that, but even I know that a dick can have a mind of its own, especially when you're mostly naked with a beautiful woman. I'm just being silly. And I was mostly joking. This really is the best of the scripts."

Edward looked it over and nodded. "I'll let Marcus know and get him negotiating then."

I rested against his cheek. He had so much coming up. We were going to be hard pressed for time when school started back up. "When will it film?"

He shrugged. "Sometime next year. If I do the London movie, I'll be booked until the holidays and I'm certainly not working over those." His fingers combed through my hair. "I have to see my girl for our first Christmas, after all."

Our first Christmas. How great was that? I hugged him. "I like the sound of that."

"So do I, baby." He held me close and I just absorbed the smell and feeling of him. So good.

"Where would this movie film?" Please not halfway across the damn world again. Two of those were enough.

Edward smiled. "California. I don't see any reason it'd be anywhere else, there was no reference to any specific landmarks or locations. Though maybe I could convince them that Seattle would be the perfect setting."

I was all for that! "I like that idea. So, you'll be tied up through…"

Edward pursed his lips. "Probably March or April. Then a couple months off before Italy." Italy? What was in Italy? "The next _Steele_ script is set for shooting then. How do you feel about going to Venice next summer?"

Was this really my life? Yes and please! "I feel pretty damn good about it, actually."

Edward chuckled. "Yeah? Think you could work it?"

I was going to. We only had so many opportunities to get together. "I think I'll make it work. I have to if I want to see you, and I do."

He frowned. "Baby, you'll see me. We have this summer and the holidays. I'll make sure to take plenty of time off between movies when I can." He hugged me again. "And you know I'll be calling you every single day, no matter where I am."

I knew that. I rested my head on his shoulder and tried to get somehow closer to him. Just talking about it made him feel too far away. "You can call me night or day, Edward. You know that."

He was silent for a bit and I could tell he was thinking about our separation because he didn't look happy. I touched his cheeks and pulled him into a kiss. He held me tight and we sank into one another. I combed my fingers through his hair and just enjoyed the feelings he sent zinging through my body with his talented lips and strong hands. I needed to reassure him though. Talking it out made me feel better and hopefully it would him as well. "We'll make it work, Edward. I'll miss you but I'm so proud of you, that you're doing so well. I'm excited to read the period piece."

Edward laughed and touched my nose. "Are you excited to read it or are you excited for me to read it in the accent like I promised?"

That was a silly question. I laughed and teased him. "Both?"

He started tickling me and I tried to get away to no avail. I also felt something poking me in the hip. Something very hard and very sexy. "See, baby? You turn me on with just a little wiggle, or a smile, or a sexy word…"

I did and I loved it. I kissed him hard and crawled over him. His hands found my butt as usual and he pulled me against his cock. It'd been several long hours since our shower. I grinned at him when we broke apart. "You know, there are three other bedrooms we haven't even…" Before I finished he had me up and over his shoulder. God, I loved this man.

"Nothing more needs to be said baby." He carried me up the stairs while I laughed and smacked his ass. I could really get used to this with him. From what he said, I would have to. I was looking forward to it.

Xoxoxoxox

"Hey love birds; I hope we're interrupting something!" Emmett yelled as he and Rose came in. He was carrying the liquor and Rose had the food. Edward hurried to relieve her of it, gentleman that he was. I loved how real he was. I forgot a lot of the time that he could buy this cabin without batting an eye.

"Thanks. He didn't trust me with the bottles," Rose said with a sneer.

Emmett was smiling. "You must admit you're a little surly today, sexy."

That wasn't good. Rose made a noise of frustration and I saw Edward step to the side. His fear of her made me giggle. Rose met my eyes. "A word?"

So I was going to get to the bottom of what they'd be up to already. Awesome. I needed to go over my plans for tomorrow with her anyway. I smiled at my sexy boyfriend. "Sure. You can help me with a little something upstairs."

Edward raised an eyebrow but I wasn't giving him any clues. I wanted to hit him with the full impact tomorrow.

I grabbed my special outfit bag and carried it upstairs with us. "What's wrong with you and Emmett?" I asked when we got to the fourth bedroom, the one we hadn't explored yet.

"Everything!" she yelled as she threw herself down on the bed. "He's being an asshole."

The asshole that offered her his family. That was another turn for these two. Of course I shouldn't be surprised. "What's he doing?"

"Everything he can to get me hot and bothered and then leaving me high and dry!" She was pissed. I'd never seen her face so red. "He never has a shirt on. I mean, it's like thirty degrees today but he strolls around like it's eighty. He works out with these weights that make his arms bulge. He parades around after showers. He's wet and in a towel and I…" she closed her eyes. "I want him, Bella."

"So tell him, Rose." Really, what was so hard about this? The sexual chemistry between those two was just as hot as it was between Edward and I and if he was taunting me, I'd throw his ass down on the nearest available surface and mount him like a prize stallion.

"Tell him! Do you know how much power that would give him? Right now we're in a standoff, but nobody's got the edge." That didn't sound true to me, not with how frustrated she was and how unbothered Emmett appeared to be. Unless of course he was faking it, which was always a possibility. Who said that Edward got all the acting talent in the family?

"It sounds like nobody's got anything right now. Where's the fun in that?"

Rose gritted her teeth and glared at me. "It's fun, to a point. But frustrating too. I've done everything but announce that I'd fuck him. I wore that black thing I got at Nancy Meyer." I raised an eyebrow. If she'd worn that than she might as well have been naked. "I told him he could look in the sex toy suitcase but he didn't do that."

"Rose, you have one sex toy in there." Rose had introduced me to the wonders of the little blue car. Alice, too. We all had one. None of us saw any reason to mess with anything else.

"But he doesn't know that, does he? No!" She gestured angrily. "I even used the car this morning. I moaned like the whore of Babylon and nothing!" I snickered because seriously, where did she come up with that shit? "And he watched porno in the living room. The living room, Bella!"

Dear God. "What did you do?"

"What could I do? First I sat by him, wearing nearly as little as the sluts on TV. He didn't look away from the screen. Then I started commenting on their assets, on the men's cocks, nothing." She looked baffled. "I had to get out of there so I went to my room and hit the car, hard."

I didn't get it. "Why's he playing hard to get?"

"If I knew, I'd be down there kicking his ass! I don't have a clue. He was so sweet for awhile last night, Bella. He brought us the same food that you guys got and we had a nice dinner and all systems were go. I made it clear that it was on and he rejects me for fake titted porn stars!"

This was tough. But if what Edward told me was true, then Rose was Emmett's 'one'. And Emmett, despite all actions Rose was describing to the contrary, wasn't dumb. He had to know just how hard it was going to be to convince Rose that the two of them were destined to be together forever. She'd laugh and cut him off the instant he mentioned something like that. Rose was a wanna-be cynic. I knew deep down inside she just wanted someone to love, but she wasn't going to admit it. She'd been closed off for as long as I knew her. Royce's cheating on her had pissed her off, but hadn't broken her heart like when Tyler fucked me over. It was a pride thing for her. I had to navigate carefully.

"I think, maybe, he's resisting you because he wants more."

Rose eyed me. "What do you mean by more? Fucking me long and hard for a week straight should be enough."

I laughed. There was my non-romantic Rose. "I mean, he offered you his family, Rose. I doubt that he does that for a girl he just wants to have sex with."

Her expression softened for a moment. "Bella, that was…could you believe he did that? Besides you and Alice, nobody's ever wanted me to meet their parents and be part of their lives."

I smiled. "Exactly. That's what I'm saying. I think Emmett wants you to be his girlfriend."

She snorted and the softness vanished. "Emmett doesn't have girlfriends. He has fucks."

He had them, past tense. "Maybe he wants something more now."

She looked skeptical. "If that were the case, wouldn't he be doing more than trying to kill me with his hot body? Shouldn't he be telling me how gorgeous I look when I'm wearing practically nothing?"

Who knew with Emmett? "You're probably killing him just as much as he's killing you. He wants you, so there's obviously more to it than you're seeing."

"Well, I hate it," she muttered angrily.

"Then do something about it."

"Like what?"

This was tricky. "Let him in, Rose. That's what he wants."

She snorted. "I tried to let him in and he ignored me."

Of course she went there. I shook my head and unzipped my bag, pulling out the crisp white shirt, the blazer and the short ass skirt for my ensemble tomorrow. "Not physically, emotionally."

"I don't do emotion," she replied quickly. Too quickly.

I got out the Mary Jane shoes and white thigh highs. "What underwear?" Rose silently picked up the white lace cheekies and matching bra. There was a little red bow in the center of the bra. It was really cute. "Thanks. And don't tell me you don't do emotion, Rose. I saw what his words meant to you in the car."

"Fine, he says nice things now and then. I've even kissed him for them. Isn't that enough?"

Not for Emmett it wouldn't be. "Edward told me he loved me yesterday."

Rose's scowl transformed into a smile and she threw her arms around me. "That's great, Bella! I knew he did, of course, but I'm sure his admitting it made you feel better. I know you told him that you loved him back. I can see it on your face."

Yeah, I couldn't hide it if I wanted to, though I doubted I'd ever want to. "I did and it was amazing." I squeezed her. "I want that for you, too, Rose."

She pulled back and shook her head. "That's not in the cards for me, Bella. I'll have my career to focus on. I don't need love."

Silly Rose. She needed it more than anybody. And she deserved it too. "Yes, you do." She might punch me for this but I had to go for it. "And you could have it with Emmett if you just let yourself go."

If looks could kill, I'd be a goner. At least she didn't take a swing at me. That showed how much she loved me. "Emmett fucks anything with a pussy, Bella. He doesn't want love anymore than I do."

I smiled at her. "Anything with a pussy but you, you mean." She flinched at that and I pressed on. "Because you matter, Rose. He wants more with you."

"How do you know that?" she demanded hotly. "He sure as hell isn't sending that message to me."

"Because I see how he looks at you. Because Edward has never seen his brother act like he does with you with anyone." I didn't want to tell her about their family history. That was Emmett's to reveal. "Edward knows his brother pretty well, you know. And he wants you to meet his family! I doubt he does that with his random hook ups."

"I hate this!" she yelled. "I hate feeling like this! It's all up and down and I don't know which way we're going any minute of the day. One minute we're talking like we're a couple and the next we're fighting like sworn enemies. He makes me feel…" she broke off and threw up her hands.

"He makes you feel what?" I asked. I had to press her.

"Everything! Too much of it! I don't know what to do with all of it and or how to stop it from bubbling over. I'm either going to fuck him or kill him. Maybe both! This isn't me, Bella."

Her frustration made me want to smile. "It is you, Rose. It's you in love."

Crap. Her face was positively purple. "Nobody said anything about love," she hissed.

"Not the word, maybe, but everything you're describing, the way he gets to you…you love him, Rose."

"Take that back, Bella," she demanded.

Anybody else probably would have. She looked murderous. "I won't. You need to hear it, Rose. You love him. And I'm almost positive he loves you back. So you need to stop with the teasing of one another and get to talking. Nothing will feel more amazing to you than when you hear him say those three little words." I felt tears prick my eyes as I remembered hearing them from Edward for the first time. "Let yourself have this. Nobody deserves it more."

"Bella, I can't." She sounded so sad about it. I pulled her into a hug.

"Yes you can. You're the strongest person I know."

"I don't know how to love him."

I smiled because she wasn't fighting it so much now. "You'll learn. You just have to admit that you do."

She released me and plucked at the comforter. "If I admit it and he doesn't feel it back, then it'll kill me."

I stilled her hand. "No, it won't. And nobody said you have to admit it first." I knew she'd rather die than do that. "You just have to let him know that you're open to the idea of more."

Rose grimace. "I can do that, I guess."

"Will you admit to me that you love him?" I asked. That was the first step, after all.

Rose looked at me and she looked so miserable I felt bad for pushing. But I knew she needed it. "I guess I do. Nobody else has ever made me feel like this." She took a deep breath. "God help me, I love him. And I'll kill him if he doesn't love me back."

There she was, my Rose. I grinned and hugged her again. "He does, I guarantee it. Now the two of you need to stop playing games and just talk."

She squeezed me and pulled back. "Easier said than done."

I laughed. "With you two, that's probably true. Hair in a ponytail or braid?"

"Pigtails," she replied. "And be sure to twirl them around without a care in the world when he's lecturing you for whatever naughty thing you're going to do. And use the sucker."

She was so amazing. Edward was going to die. "You're too good at this."

"Yeah, well you're too good at the love stuff so I guess we're even. We can get each other through this crap, right?"

I nodded. "Yes we can. Now let's go downstairs and get this night started. Try to be a little nice to Emmett, okay?"

She rolled her eyes. "No promises. Not until he admits he loves me first."

That was probably as good as it was going to get. I yanked her out of the room. The boys had been alone long enough. We walked in the kitchen just as Edward declared that he wasn't babysitting. What in the hell was that about?

"Who aren't you babysitting?" I asked.

Edward's lips twitched and he glanced at his brother. Emmett looked like he was going to faint for some odd reason. What had those two been talking about?

"Emmett," Edward replied, kissing me. I had a feeling there was more to it than that but there were lots of secrets floating around right about now. What was one more? "Are you ladies hungry?" he asked. I actually very much was.

"Yeah, I could eat. Rose?" I asked. She was too busy shooting Emmett dirty looks to return my gaze. She did nod though.

Edward and I got busy getting things out. It smelled scrumptious. "We got pulled pork and chicken, mac and cheese, baked beans and coleslaw," Emmett told us. I opened all the containers and it looked good. I was starving.

"And lemonade to mix with the vodka," Rose declared. Great. Adding alcohol to the volatile emotions. This was going to be an interesting night. She got the vodka out of the fridge and mixed our drinks while I heated everything up and Edward got plates and buns ready. We dished up and sat down. Rose was doing her best to avoid Emmett's gaze. He was staring at her like she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. How did she not see it? Stubborn girl.

"Everything okay?" Edward asked me.

I sure hoped so. "Hopefully."

We all ate quickly and quietly. Edward put his hand on my knee and I touched him whenever I could. Clean up was easy when we were done. We just tossed the plates and set the leftovers in the refrigerator.

"So what should we do now? Hot tub?" Emmett asked eagerly.

"Hell no." Edward responded before I could. I was going to say the same thing, though. We'd yet to have fun out there. Soon.

I had an idea. I'd brought some other special things for my guy, things that were not sexual in nature. At least I hoped he didn't have sexual reactions to them. "How about a movie?" I suggested.

Edward turned to me curiously. "What movie?"

"You'll see," I told him. I had a feeling he'd be thrilled.

"It better not be porn!" Rose called after me. Ha! Like I was that stupid. Or like I'd be capable of watching porn with Edward and not jumping him? I grabbed the DVD and came back in. Edward was on the loveseat, which was good since Rose and Emmett were on the big couch sitting as far away from one another as they could be. Edward rolled his eyes at the two of them which made me laugh. I put the DVD in and sat beside him. It wasn't long before the _Star Wars_ theme was playing and Edward was looking at me as if I'd just told him I loved him, which I hadn't in far too long. Emmett groaned. I guess he wasn't as thrilled with my movie choice, like I cared.

"You brought _Star Wars_ , baby?" The awe in his voice was so cute.

I nodded. "I thought you might like it."

"Like it, I love it!" He kissed me hard before turning back to the screen. I rested my head on his shoulder and just absorbed his joy in the movie. He was such a sexy secret nerd.

About midway through, Emmett stood and shut the DVD and TV off. "Hey!" Edward protested.

"Dude, you've seen that movie about seven hundred times. I'm bored. Let's play a game or something."

Edward looked quite put out which made me laugh. I didn't care what we did. "What game, Emmett? We don't have any games, unless Bella brought some of those too?" He paused as he took in the expression of glee on his brother's face. "And I am not playing Truth or Dare with you. Never again." Emmett looked incredibly disappointed at that news.

I hadn't thought to bring any games. The only games I'd planned on were sexual ones. "No, I didn't bring any games. I was more interested in playing with you this week."

Edward smiled at that comment, just like I knew he would. Emmett started grumbling and Rose started glaring. Well, at least I'd made my man happy.

"I know a game we can play," Rose said with a sly smile.

This could not be good. "Oh, shit." I suspected I knew what she wanted to play and it was very dangerous with all the tension that was already in the room.

"Yeah? What is it, Rosie?" Emmett asked.

She ignored him and shot me a look. "We'd probably be better off playing with beer." Yes, we would. The two cups of vodka and lemonade were already affecting me. I went to the kitchen and grabbed four bottles of Heinken and opened them. I hoped nothing came up that freaked Edward out. Or me for that matter.

I heard Rose explaining the rules to I've Never. She used the kissed a girl example and I cringed. She'd left me out of the list but if that question came up, I'd damn well have to drink. Damn guys who won't take no for answer.

I passed the beer around and sat back next to Edward, putting a hand on his knee. "Small sips," I told him, because I didn't want either of us to be too plastered to play tonight.

"I'll start," Rose said, jumping right in. "I've never had sex in public." She and Emmett drank but I was happy to see that Edward joined me in not imbibing.

Edward shot me a smile. "We'll fix that one day."

Yes we would and I knew just where we'd do it. "Dressing room." His eyes widened and he gulped and shifted. Oh yeah, he liked it.

"Where were you?" Emmett asked Rose but she just grinned and didn't answer. He growled. "I don't like this game. You should have to clarify!" he complained.

"Sorry, those aren't the rules," she replied, turning her back on him and looking at us. "One of you go."

I'd go since Edward had never played. "I've never had phone sex," I said, which was something I was quite proud to have to drink to. Edward grinned and drank with me, along with the other two.

Edward looked positively giddy over his turn. "I've never had Skype sex." No wonder. We both drank and Emmett and Rose had to sit that one out. I was thrilled to have done something they hadn't done.

"I knew you were smiling way too much while he was gone!" Rose laughed. "No wonder you locked yourself away every night."

Damn right. I felt my cheeks heating but I didn't care. "What can I say? I'm addicted to Edward."

He gave me a kiss. "The feeling is entirely mutual, baby."

"See, Rosie, they gave an explanation. Now you explain. What girl did you kiss?" Shit.

Rose shook her head. "First, that question has not been asked in this game, it was a sample question. Second, that's none of your business."

Emmett was annoyed and Rose was enjoying it. "Fine. I've never paraded around in sexy lingerie to drive an innocent man who is trying to be a gentleman crazy."

He was hitting close the bone now but Rose seemed amused. She smiled hugely as she lifted her bottle. I drank with her.

"Hey!" Edward yelled.

I ran my hand up his leg. "What do you think I was doing on Skype? Or last night?"

That made him smile. "I wasn't trying to be a gentleman though."

And I was very glad. "Thank God for that!"

"I hate you both," Rose and Emmett told us, sounding like they'd choreographed it. Edward and I both laughed and held each other.

"I've never rejected someone hard after teasing them for hours." Uh oh, Rose was firing back now.

Emmett drank and smiled at her. "You too, Rosie."

"I haven't!" she protested.

"Oh yeah? What was last weekend? And Friday night? You drive me crazy and then you push me away. You're just as guilty as I am! I'm taking a page from your book." Things were going to explode, I just knew it. Couples or would be couples should never play this game together. It was asking for trouble.

"You know nothing about my book," she told him but went ahead and drank anyway. It seemed fair that she should.

I was up. "I've never joined the mile high club." But I hoped to. Emmett was the only one that drank.

"Hawaii?" Edward asked.

Emmett smile was a mile wide. "That was the first time," he laughed as Rose got more and more irritated. So not good.

"You're such a whore," she told him.

"I'm a reformed whore," he replied. "I only have eyes for you, Rosie." She didn't seem to buy that and pounded the rest of her beer.

"More?" she asked. Edward and I were fine and told her no.

"I'll take more, Rosie."

"I just bet you will," she told him as she pushed off the couch.

"We'll join it soon, baby," Edward told me.

Hell yes. "I look forward to that."

"Me too." Rose gagged as she came back in with the beer bottles and tequila. Oh crap. She was really taking this game to a whole nother level.

"Rose! Tequila? We'll die!" I protested.

"No, not for every question. I figure if moron here wants to get the story behind some of the questions, he has to take a shot and then he gets his answer. Or any of us, really." That was new and really not a bad idea.

Emmett grabbed the bottle and a shot glass before he even asked his question. "I've never kissed a girl!" he shouted with delight. Damn it. Rose drank, as did the boys of course. I went ahead and sucked it up and did it too.

Edward's eyes were as wide as saucers. "Bella? What?"

Oh no, he had to play by the rules. I shook my head and pointed at the liquor. Emmett took his shot and Edward sighed but went ahead and took his as well.

I looked at Rose and gave her the silent go ahead. "We kissed each other. We were at a bar and these two assholes would not take no for an answer. They thought they were the shit and couldn't fathom why we wouldn't be interested, so I told them we were lesbians. They didn't believe us so we kissed."

I laughed. "I thought it would be a little peck but Rose totally slipped me tongue."

Edward looked a little shell shocked and Emmett, well, to say he was smiling was an understatement. He was completely delighted.

"Can we play truth or dare and dare you to kiss again?" Emmett asked eagerly. That finally got a reaction out of Rose and she hit him. I felt my cheeks getting hotter and shook my head.

"I only kiss one person from now on," I told Emmett.

"Damn right you do, baby." Edward's lips were on mine and I got lost in him like usual.

"You taste like tequila," I informed him.

"Yeah, well, I had to know! You can't tease me like that, love." I laughed. He was so cute.

"I've never had a threesome." Rose popped our bubble. Nobody drank and she started at Emmett in surprise. "Really?"

"Really. What do you think I am? Wait, don't answer that, I already know. A whore." He looked pretty upset and I decided to hurry away from that.

I knew a good way to shake Rose up. I grinned at her as I said, "I've never been caught having sex by my parents."

Rose was annoyed. "Bitch." She drank and I laughed when Emmett poured and downed another shot. With the amount those two had drunk during dinner and the movie, they'd be plastered before long. At least Rose would.

"Go," he told her.

Rose sighed. "I was sixteen and they were at a party so I had my boyfriend at the time over. They came home early and found me blowing him on the living room couch." She grinned. "Dad was so pissed. He grounded me for a month but neither of them were ever home to enforce it. I had him over two days later and they were none the wiser." That part of the story sucked. Charlie would have handcuffed me to the bed and installed alarms and an ankle monitor or something.

"Rosie." Emmett said her name mournfully. I knew he'd reacted the same way I had. Stupid question, Bella. That's why playing with your friends was never a good idea either. They knew too much. You could screw one another over way easily.

"Don't feel bad for me," Rose snapped at him.

Emmett held up his hands. "You're up, Edward."

"I've never been caught sneaking out of the house."

Emmett laughed and took a swig. "It's not my fault Mom put that burglar alarm in and didn't inform me." Ha! I bet his mother skinned him alive for that one.

We went through a few rather innocuous rounds, where Emmett took a shot each time because he wanted to know more about Rose's exploits. He wanted to know about her losing her virginity. So did Edward mine. I told him about Eric. It wasn't an exciting story. He was my only boyfriend in high school. I was kind of the queen of monogamous relationships, especially compared to my friends.

"Last one!" Emmett shouted. He was drunk, no doubt about it. He could barely keep upright. He stared at Rose for a minute and brought his bottle right next to his face. "I've never met the person I'm going to marry." He drank right away and I felt my mouth drop open. Edward looked shocked but then quickly raised his bottle and drank. I smiled at him and took my own drink. Emmett grinned at Rose. "Drink up, Rosie."

Rose looked like a deer in headlights. "Why would I drink?"

"Because you're going to marry me, obviously! You're my 'one'," Emmett told her. I suppressed a groan. Not like this, Emmett.

Rose went off, like I expected she would. "What the fuck does that mean? And you won't even touch me! Why in the hell would I marry you?" she shouted.

"You know what it means! It means you're my girl, my one true love. My family falls in love first sight and I did and it's with you. Eddie did with Bella, Dad did with Mom, it goes on and on." He was just putting it all out there, drunken rambling and all. So very bad. Edward was still beside me, taking it all in.

Rose was royally pissed now. "I don't give a good damn what anybody else in your family did. I'm not part of your family." She was standing and gesturing wildly.

"Yes you are, Rosie. I told you that in the car. You're a Cullen now. Eddie, get on the computer and get ordained. You can marry us right now to prove it to her." Married? She was going to have an aneurism.

Edward shook his head. "Uh, I don't think that's a very good idea Emmett." Understatement of the century.

"It's a great idea! I'll get ordained and marry you too!"

Oh Dear Lord. I could just imagine Dad if I informed him I'd gotten married. Edward shook his head. "No, Em. Mom would kill us."

"Fuck that, I'll kill you!" Rose shouted.

"Oh yeah, Mom would be pissed. Okay, we'll wait a little." He beamed at Rose. "But you will marry me, Rosie. Wait and see."

"I'll do no such thing! Just because your family believes in some love at first sight bullshit doesn't mean that I do. You can just get that idea out of your head right now." She was well back in the land of denial, conversation upstairs be damned. Not surprising, though. She was drunk and her guard was back up.

"No can do, Rosie. You're it for me. 'The one.' It's all done. Emmett Cullen is off the market, permanently. Alert the presses!" He laughed crazily. "Edward, called Kate! Tell her to call TMZ and Perez Hilton. I won't be on their sites anymore, not without my Rosie!"

Rose pointed at my boyfriend. "Don't you dare."

"I wasn't going to."

I had to do something to get things back on track. She might kill me but I had to. "Rose…you know you want…"

"I know nothing!" She attempted to cut me off. It wasn't going to work though.

"Don't you?" I asked. "Alright. I'm doing this because I love you." I held up my beer. Rose shook her head frantically and mouthed "Don't" at me. I couldn't stop though. It would be so much better for her to face it like she had upstairs.

"I've never been in love before." Edward drank at the same time that I did. That made me feel good.

Emmett laughed. "I'll drink to that!" He pounded the rest of his beer and slammed the bottle on the coffee table. "Love you, Rosie!" Lord, that's how he tells her? Well, I suppose I was making her tell him in an unconventional way as well.

Rose started at me, panic all over her face. "I'm not…I won't…I don't…"

"You do, Rose. Now drink." I wasn't going to let her worm her way out, even if a part of me wanted to protect her. I was doing this for her own good, just like she yanked me out of my room and made me get back out there after I wallowed too long over Tyler.

"I don't want to," she whispered.

"That's not how the game goes. You drink if you've done the thing that was last said. Have you ever been in love?" I pushed her, smiling, encouraging her.

"How do I know?" she asked angrily. Emmett stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her. Rose closed her eyes and leaned against him as his lips moved over her neck.

"You know, Rosie. You feel it. You may not want to but it's just there." Yes it was.

She hunched into herself. "I don't know if I can."

"Of course you can," I encouraged her. "You love me, after all."

"Not so much at the moment," Rose responded. She didn't sound pissed at me though and I grinned at her. She wanted this, I knew she did. She just wouldn't admit it.

"I know it's scary, Rosie, but now you don't ever have to feel alone again." Emmett kissed the top of her head. "You'll have me forever."

"If I let myself do this and you leave me, I swear to God I'll kill you," she warned him. There it was. Emmett and I got her to admit it.

"You couldn't get rid of me if you tried," Emmett swore. Damn right. If he ever hurt her, he'd have me to answer to.

Rose brought her bottle to her lips. "Bottoms up. I don't know how the fuck this happened." She drank and Emmett yelled happily. He turned her around and was kissing her as soon as she swallowed her beer.

"Maybe we should go upstairs," Edward suggested softly.

"Yes, we do. After all, tomorrow's a school day." A very special school day.

Edward got up and helped me off the couch. Emmett and Rose were wrapped around one another and appeared oblivious to the two of us. "No school tomorrow, baby. You can sleep as late as you want."

I smiled as I imagined his face when he got up in the morning. "I love you." I'd admit it without questions, without alcohol, without any prompting.

Edward grinned. "I love you too, Bella." His hands wrapped around my waist from behind. "And I'm amazed at your bravery, making Rose admit her feelings like that."

I had to laugh at that. "She's always the one pushing me to be brave and put myself out there. It was time that I returned the favor."

"You're the bravest woman I know," he responded, kissing me as we backed into the other bedroom. He wasn't laying eyes on my outfit until tomorrow.

"You make me that way," I told him. He made me feel invincible. "Let's go to bed. I have a feeling tomorrow's going to be a good day." A very good day. It'd start off with a bang for sure.


	42. Sexy Schoolgirl

I barely slept a wink all night. I was just kind of buzzing with excitement, which isn't a good thing when you're lying in bed with a naked Edward Cullen wrapped around you. Not that I was about to complain, mind you, but it was hard not to jump him to expend my extra energy. But I knew what I needed it for and when the clock struck six thirty, I edged my way out of his arms and crept out of bed. I pulled on the t-shirt and shorts I had sitting in the bathroom and set the alarm for him before leaving the room.

I crept downstairs and rolled my eyes at the sight that awaited me in the living room. Emmett was shirtless and Rose was draped across him, wearing his shirt and thankfully her jeans. He had his pants on too, so perhaps they'd refrained from screwing in the living room. The tequila bottle was on the floor but there didn't appear to be any damage. I poked Rose in the back and stepped away just as her arm came flying. I knew from experience that she didn't wake up nicely.

"Go the fuck away," she mumbled into Emmett's chest.

He scrunched up his face in a frown. "No."

I laughed. Of course he assumed she was talking to him. Why wouldn't she be? "Both of you need to get the hell up and back to your cabin. I have plans and they don't include you."

"Fuck off. What time is it?" she mumbled.

Emmett's eyes blinked open. "It's still pretty dark out. Let us sleep a few more hours."

"No. I don't care where you go but you can't be here. Mush!" I poked Rose again and she sat up and grabbed at me, her eyes still closed. Her hair was everywhere.

"Seriously, Bella, I'm going to kill you."

"You are not. You love me."

"Ugh, enough with that fucking word." She buried her head in her hands and Emmett's face suddenly transformed into a bright smile.

"You remember! She remembers! She loves me!" he told me, throwing his arms around Rose.

She sighed and burrowed into his shoulder. "I said I did, didn't I? We can talk about it in five hours or so. Let's go back to bed."

"That's a good idea, baby. Let's do that." And his hands were on her ass. Jesus. The Cullen brothers were a lot alike.

"Stop it," she told him crossly, swatting at his hands.

"Rose! I need to get ready _. School day, remember?"_ That would hopefully knock the point home.

"Oh yeah," she muttered and then sat straight up when my words registered. "Oh! Yeah! Okay, we'll go."

"What?" Emmett protested, grabbing at her as she stood. "I thought we were gonna…"

"Oh, we are. Get your fine ass up and take me to our cabin. You can finally show me what you've been throwing in my face the past two days. Bella, have fun." She was already grabbing at her sweater and shoes. That was friendship. She wasn't about to get in the way of our fun.

"Emmett, can you do me a favor and help me move the computer?" I asked.

He looked completely baffled but followed me into the office anyway. "I really don't know what the hell is going on."

I started unplugging cords and disconnecting cables. "I think all you really need to know is you're about to have sex with the woman you love."

He laughed. "Oh yeah. You're right. Why am I still here?"

"Because I need your muscles." And what big ones they were. I admired the eagle tattoo he had on his back. Rose would be licking that thing soon. She loved tattoos. And big muscles. I preferred Edward's leaner muscles though. He was just so very hot.

Emmett put the monitor on the table and did the same with the tower. He glanced at the empty desk and then at me and grinned. "I get it. Have fun, teacher."

Well, he sort of got it but I wasn't about to correct him. "Thanks for the help. We'll see you in…"

"Sunday. Now that Rosie admits she loves me, you're not seeing us until it's time to leave." He pulled me into a bone crushing hug. "Thank you for pushing her last night, Bella. I don't know if she ever would have forgiven me for how I told her I loved her if you hadn't dared her into admitting it herself." He made a face as he released me. "Ma's totally gonna kick my ass when she hears that story."

I laughed. "It doesn't even occur to you not to tell her, does it?"

Emmett grinned. "You don't know Mama. She'll know whether I tell her or not. She's got magical powers or something. I'll have to tell her."

I couldn't wait to meet their mother. Something told me that watching her with those two was going to be a riot. "Okay, well, tell her it worked anyway."

He nodded. "She'll be glad after she yells at me. But hey, she called my dad a fucking asshole when they first met, so who is she to talk?"

I giggled. "Point that out."

He rolled his eyes. "I will. It won't work though." He glanced around. "Anything else you need?"

"Nope, go get your girl. Tell her I'll talk to her later."

"Much, much later. See ya, Little Sis."

"Oh, Emmett?" He looked at me inquisitively. "You might want to give Rose a little romance and explain about your family history in a bit more detail tonight. Last night worked for you but…"

A bright smile broke out on his face. "You're right. I'll do something nice for her and explain it all without the alcohol and yelling." He kissed the top of my head and was off. I listened to them argue their way out the front door, something about him taking his shirt back and I shook my head. Those two would never stop arguing despite what he said.

Enough of that. I had things to do. I hurried into the kitchen and grabbed an apple and a chair for me to sit on. I took the note pad out of the desk along with a pen and wrote my notes to Edward. The first, which was going to greet him in the bedroom was easy enough:

_Rise and shine, Mr. Cullen. School starts at eight AM sharp. Don't be late or there will be consequences. I've left your clothes out in the bathroom. Meet me in the office._

_Love,_

_Your Bella_

That worked. His clothes were already set aside, I just had to put them in the bathroom which I'd do when I put the note in our bedroom. The second note was a little more difficult. I wanted it to be provocative but not overly so. The apple was a good place to start.

_An apple for the teacher, who has been a very good boy showing up on time._

He would totally be on time. I could picture how excited he'd be. Too bad I didn't have a camera or something I could set up to film him when he woke up. Okay, that was a little creepy but I bet he'd be cute.

Let's see. Something about the punishment that I was hoping to richly deserve.

_It seems I don't have to punish you, but will you have to punish me? I guess we'll have to wait and see. Take a seat and start planning exactly what you're going to teach me. I have a great desire to learn this morning._

Perfect! I put the note under the apple and dashed upstairs to put the other note on the night stand. It was already seven fifteen. His alarm would be going off soon. I put his clothes in the bathroom and refrained, barely, from touching him while he was sleeping. He was facing my side of the bed and his face was scrunched up as if he was annoyed that I wasn't there. I wondered if he knew in his subconscious or something.

I hurried out of the room, grabbed my outfit and ran back downstairs, ducking into another bedroom. I took a quick bath and got out when I heard the water start running upstairs. He was up. I felt completely keyed up and like I was buzzing with excitement as I pulled on my uniform. I couldn't wait to see his reaction. I was dressed and ready to go but of course I wasn't going to be on time. I put my hair up and it wasn't long before I heard Edward come downstairs and head into the office. It took everything I had in me not to run and peek in to see his reaction to the apple and the note.

Two minutes after eight. I had to make it at least past five minutes. Long enough to get him a little worked up and maybe a little angry. I was such a freak, wanting my angry boyfriend to spank me. God I hoped he spanked me. Five after. Okay, a couple more minutes is all. No way could I make it a whole ten minutes. Seven, eight tops. That was good enough.

Seven after. This was it. I took a deep breath, tossed my backpack over my shoulder, and moved quietly into the hallway, stopping in the doorway to the office just as he took a bite out of the apple I'd left for him. Well, it was only appropriate since he was the teacher after all. He looked delicious himself in his blue button down shirt. He'd rolled up the sleeves, leaving those sexy forearms of his bare. I wanted to lick them.

I posed in the doorway and decided to get his attention. "Oops! I'm so sorry I'm late, Mr. Cullen."

His head whipped toward me and the apple fell off the desk. His mouth fell open as he took me in and I swear I got wet just from the look of lust that came over his face. Oh yeah, he appreciated what he saw. I waited but he didn't move, didn't swallow, and didn't say anything. It was sexy how completely absorbed in me he appeared to be.

I walked slowly toward him and decided I'd better call his attention to the apple before he choked on it. "Looks like you've got a little something in your teeth, teach." He still hadn't moved by the time I got to my chair so I put my backpack down and bent over right in front of him. I heard a moan from behind me and I fought a laugh as I turned around and smiled at him, sitting down and crossing my legs. It was nice that there was no desk to get in my way.

He still had a hunk of apple in his mouth. "You might want to swallow that," I told him, trying not to laugh. "I could show you how to swallow if you're having trouble." Score one for me with the innuendo.

Edward made a strangled sounding noise but finally chewed up the bit of apple in his mouth and swallowed it. He gulped and then put his hands on the desk, folding those gorgeous fingers of his over one another.

"You're late, Miss Swan." The sound of his voice went right to my lady parts but I had to act unaffected. I didn't say a word, shrugging a shoulder and twirling my hair the way Rose told me, too. Edward's eyes were watching my every move intently. He looked like he wanted to devour me. I hoped he knew I was more than ready to be so devoured.

"That's it? No excuses? The dog didn't eat your homework?" he asked, narrowing his eyes and sounding a little pissed off. I loved it.

It was time for my prop. I reached into my backpack and took out the cherry blow pop that Rose had picked up for me. Yeah, I said blow pop. I unwrapped it and started sucking on it obscenely. It might have been embarrassing if Edward wasn't looking like a lion about to pounce at each little lick and suck. I took the sucker out and gave him my response. "There was eating involved, but it certainly didn't involve a dog or homework."

It may be that I'd watched entirely too much porn in my lifetime. That or maybe I was a savant for all things sexual. I liked that idea better. Edward's cheeks actually flushed as I worked my lollipop for all I was worth.

His breath was coming in pants already. "Miss Swan, I'm not sure what you mean by that."

Was he being deliberately obtuse? Time to provoke him. I took the candy out of my mouth again and licked the cherry flavor off my lips. He groaned and I felt so powerful. Here we go. "I mean, Mr. Cullen, that I was late because I was sucking off my boyfriend in his car."

His green eyes went hot and his hands flexed on the desk. Oh hell, that made him mad. He was gorgeous when he was angry. I giggled before I could stop myself and he took a deep breath. "Miss Swan, that is not appropriate behavior."

Duh, baby. I licked the sucker and tried to appear disinterested in his wrath, even though it was the hottest thing ever. "Maybe I like to be inappropriate."

I continued to lick and suck on the lollipop while Edward watched me avidly. I decided to provoke him even more and uncrossed my legs, letting him see the lacy white underwear I was barely wearing. His fingers dug into the desk. Oh yeah. I was driving him crazy, just like I'd hoped.

"I can see that you do, Miss Swan. We'll be discussing that after class."

Yes, Hot Teacher. Keep me after class and do whatever you like with me. I rolled my eyes and pretended disinterest. "Whatever."

"You will speak to me with respect, Isabella!" he suddenly shouted.

Holy shit, that was hot! He'd surprised me with his anger. I wanted more. I bit my lip and apologized, badly. "I'm sorry, _Mister Cullen._ I don't know what came over me. It won't happen again." I made sure that he knew it absolutely would happen again with my sarcastic tone.

"Damn right it won't," he warned me. "I'll make sure of it."

I got him to cuss! I shivered and he smiled. God, he was beautiful. "You shouldn't curse, Mr. Cullen." I ran my tongue over the lollipop again. I wanted it to be his cock. I was sure that he did as well. I was practically blowing the blow pop, after all.

"I think you like it when I do, Miss Swan. But you're right. That was inappropriate, something you know all about." Why yes, I do. And I'm hoping to show you very soon how inappropriate I can be. I gave him my sweetest smile and continued to violate the lollipop.

Edward made another choking noise. "Class dismissed. Miss Swan, you, however, are not." Oh yes! Here we go. We just stared at one another as the fake class left the room. I acted like I wasn't remotely concerned with whatever awaited me, just molesting my candy with my tongue. Edward sat back in his seat and gave me a hard look. I hoped he had something else hard for me. "You were late to class, disrespectful, unprepared for class and you've been engaging in sexual activity on campus. What do you think I should do about this, Miss Swan?"

Spank me, kiss me, touch me, lick me, and fuck me, in any order, Mr. Cullen. But I wasn't about to say that. I twirled my hair again. "I think you should do whatever you want to do, Mr. Cullen." Do me, do me, do me!

"Maybe I should call your parents."

Just the thought of that had me freaking out a little, even though he wouldn't do it in a million years. "Oh no, Mr. Cullen! You can't do that! I'll be grounded for sure!"

Edward's green eyes were twinkling with amusement at my reaction. "It's my duty, as your teacher, to inform your parents that you're not living up to the high standards we set here at Cullen Academy."

Cullen Academy huh? I bet he'd just love that. Time to throw down the gauntlet and start bargaining with my body. "Please, Mr. Cullen, please don't tell on me! I'll do anything." I tried to let him know that by anything, I meant anything sexual.

"You have to be punished for your actions, Miss Swan. I cannot allow such disrespect. What message would that send to your classmates?"

Like I'd share you with my classmates. I managed to work up some tears by thinking about that damn ASPCA commercial with the sad eyed dogs and cats. I had to bring him to his knees. "I understand, Mr. Cullen. You can do whatever you want to punish me, just don't tell my dad."

Edward watched me for a moment. "Come over here, Miss Swan." Hell yes! I tried to act unaffected as I rose and wrapped my lollipop up dropping it in my bag and walking over to him without looking him in the eye. "Look at me," he demanded.

So fucking hot. My gaze met his. "I'm inclined to give in and not tell your father what you've done." I smiled with relief. "But," he continued. I stopped smiling, ready to hear my punishment. "You do need to be taught a lesson."

Oh yes, I did. "You are my teacher, so you should teach me, sir."

Edward's eyes widened a bit at the use of the word sir. I knew he'd like that one. "How do you feel about corporal punishment, Isabella?"

Isabella? God that sounded sexy coming from him. I bit my lip. "I know it's one of the options available to teachers here at Cullen Academy, sir."

"Yes, it is. It's right there in your handbook that you had to read on your first day." He was so good at this, playing along with everything I threw at him. I loved it.

"I remember, Mr. Cullen. I…I understand that you have the option to spank me if you want to." Please spank me, Edward. I felt like my legs were vibrating with my need.

"How do you feel about that, Isabella?"

If he only knew! I felt my face heating at how badly I wanted it. "I'm a little scared, sir, and…" I broke off and pretended to be too embarrassed to continue, looking at the floor.

"And what, young lady?" he asked.

"And a little bit turned on," I admitted softly. A little bit my soon to be red ass.

"Is that so, Miss Swan?" I nodded mutely. "Well, I'd like to see that for myself. Bend over the desk, please."

Yes! I looked at the desk and back, pretending to hesitate as I bit my lip again. "Do it now, Isabella!" he shouted. Oh God, so sexy. I moaned and hurried to comply this time, bending over the desk. Edward stood up and I heard him move behind me. His hands moved over my ass, caressing it through the material before he pushed it up so all I had covering me were those tiny white panties. "So, you want my hands on this sweet little ass, don't you, Miss Swan?"

So much so, but I knew better than to answer. He gave me a light spank and I yelled in surprise. "Yes!" I admitted.

Edward's warm laugh moved through me and I felt his hand brush my thighs as he reached between my legs and fingered my underwear. There was no lying to him now, my body made it quite clear just how much I wanted him. "It would seem that you're more than a little turned on, Miss Swan. Did that boyfriend you were sucking off do this to you, or did I?"

It will only ever be you, Edward. "You did, Mr. Cullen."

His hands moved to my hips as he tugged my panties down and over my legs. He didn't remove the thigh highs or my shoes, though he did pause when he got to them and muttered something I couldn't hear. He stood up and I tensed and waited. "You're a very naughty girl, Miss Swan."

"Yes, I am," I admitted. Only for him, of course. I gripped the edge of the desk, hoping that he was about to start punishing me.

"You know what happens to naughty girls?" he asked as he touched my ass gently.

"They get spanked," I answered. Please, spank me!

"Mmm, yes they do." And with that, he smacked my ass. I gasped and tried not turn over and beg him to fuck me immediately.

"And naughty girls like it, don't they?" So much. I was writhing against the desk as he spanked my right cheek this time. "How many swats do you think you should get, Miss Swan?"

That was a conundrum. Too many and it might hurt, plus it would take longer before I got a chance to touch him, which I was burning to do. Too few and I'd want more.

"Five?" I suggested, shrieking as he spanked me again.

He laughed at my offer. "Five? For being late, being disrespectful and giving head on school property?" I got another swat and couldn't stop the moan that erupted from my lips.

"Well, maybe I could get another kind of punishment for that last thing," I offered.

Edward didn't spank me again. "Like what?"

"Like maybe I could give you a blow job?" I asked.

"Really, Miss Swan? You'd wrap your sweet lips around my cock?"

You know I would, baby. "Oh yes, Mr. Cullen. I want to."

He spanked me for the fifth time. "You are a very bad girl, Isabella." He caressed my ass. "I think I will let you blow me, show me just what you were up to instead of being in my class on time. If you do a good job, no more spanking. If you don't…" he broke off and squeezed my ass. God it felt good and bad at the same time. It was exciting. He walked around me and I pushed up to watch him as he unhooked his pants and pulled them down to his knees. His perfect cock was out and it was about to be mine all mine. I licked my lips as I watched him.

"Am I bigger than your boyfriend is, Miss Swan?"

I knew the answer he wanted. "Oh yes, Mr. Cullen."

His grin flashed. "Well, I hope you can handle it, or that fine little ass of yours is going to be on fire."

Well I knew I could handle it for sure. I took off my blazer, because I was about to overheat. Edward moaned when he took in just how tight my shirt was and that I'd forgone wearing the bra. I smiled and knelt in front of him, eying his cock hungrily. I wanted it bad. "Why don't you suck on me like you were that lollipop of yours, Miss Swan?"

That made me laugh. "Did you like that, Mr. Cullen?"

"I found it very erotic, Isabella."

Of course he did. "I was pretending it was your cock," I informed him. I took said cock in my hands and squeezed before bending down to lick the head. Edward gasped and held on to the chair for dear life. Oh yes, it was going to be fun to bring Mr. Cullen to his knees.

"Were you now?" he asked as he touched my hair, wrapping my ponytails around his fists. Oh, I loved that. "Why don't you show me?"

I licked all the way down him, just like I had my lollipop and he pushed his hips toward me. "Take as much of me in as you can, Miss Swan. Show me what you can do." As you wish, sir. I sucked him as far into my mouth as I could and he moaned and tugged on my hair. I pulled back to lick the tip and took him back in, moving up and down and sucking him as he pulled my head toward him.

I let go and smiled up at him. "I like it when you fuck my mouth, Mr. Cullen."

Edward looked like he was about to explode. "So let me do it, baby." He stood up and I opened my mouth wider for him and he pushed his cock inside my mouth. I curled my tongue against him as he moved in and out of me, sucking hard and giving him the friction I knew he wanted. "You're very talented, Miss Swan. I can see why your boyfriend wants your hot little mouth all to himself. But he can't have it anymore, can he?" As if I'd want anybody after I had him. I looked up at him and shook my head as he continued to slide in and out of my mouth.

"You're mine now, aren't you Miss Swan? Mine to do with what I please?" His voice was sexy and rough with need. I nodded again. I'd agree to anything he wanted.

He moved out of my mouth and I whined. He sat and tugged me off the floor and into his lap. "You have a very talented mouth, baby, but I want more. It's not really a punishment when you clearly like giving head."

This sounded promising. Let's see what he does now. "What did you have in mind, then?"

Edward smiled. "Tell me, Miss Swan, have you and your boyfriend gone all the way?"

I tried to look innocent and shook my head. "No! What kind of girl do you think I am?"

"The kind that likes getting spanked and giving head. It's not much of a stretch to assume you like to fuck as well."

Well, he did have a point. Best not to deny it. "Maybe I do. Why don't you fuck me and find out?"

Edward's smile widened. "Indeed, why don't I?" He seemed to be pondering it for a moment before he finally told me what I so badly wanted to hear. "Bend back over the desk, Miss Swan."

I moved off his lap, copping a feel as I went. I bent over right in front of him in the chair. I may have wiggled my ass a little bit for good measure. Suddenly I felt something pinch my ass. Holy shit, he bit me! "Mr. Cullen!" It was hard to keep in character for that one. He's surprised the hell out of me.

He laughed and I felt him moving behind me. He lifted my skirt up again and started touching me. "You're so wet, Isabella." God, I loved him saying my name like that. I felt every bit like the naughty schoolgirl I was supposed to be.

I pressed against his hand. I wanted him inside me. "Only for you, Mr. Cullen."

"Is that so, Miss Swan? I don't think your boyfriend will like that very much." Ha, he kept bringing up my fake boyfriend. I loved that he was possessive of me. It made me feel less bad about my feelings of ownership toward him.

"I'll break up with him," I told him as his fingers began to move against me. "Please."

"You will break up with him. You're my girl now, to do whatever I want with."

So hot! "Yes, please!" I'd say or do anything to have his cock inside me right now.

"Good girl, Isabella. I think you may just get an A in this class yet." I loved A's. I loved his cock even more as it finally entered me. He moaned as he slid inside me.

"You're not a virgin, Miss Swan. It seems you're exactly the kind of girl that I thought you were." Yes, I am, your girl. And you love me just as I am. Isn't that just completely amazing?

"You don't want a virgin, Mr. Cullen," I told him, pushing my butt back toward him, allowing him to slide deeper inside me.

"How do you know that, Isabella?"

"Because…" Oh God, that felt good. "Because you want a girl that knows what she's doing." He spanked me and I moaned loudly. "You want a girl that can suck you and fuck you the way you like it." Edward liked that. His fingers dug into my hips and he started to fuck me faster. "You want me, Mr. Cullen. Only me."

He grunted. "Only you, Miss Swan." He raised my hips up and went deeper inside me. "You're so fucking sexy in that little uniform. I just wanted to fuck you the instant you walked into the door."

"I wanted you to fuck me," I admitted, trying to catch my breath as he pounded in and out of me. "I was late on purpose so you'd make me stay after class."

"You're going to stay after class every day from now on, baby. We'll call it extra credit."

Oh yeah, I was a sucker for extra credit. "I love extra credit."

"I do, too." He reached underneath me and rubbed my clit, knowing just what it would do to me.

I lost it and came hard. "Fuck, yes, Mr. Cullen," I called, trying hard to hold onto character which was tough under the circumstances. Edward gripped me tight and thrust into me hard over and over before he came, grunting and filling me so perfectly.

Edward slid out of me and I heard him sink into the chair, it creaked when he sat down. He pulled on my thighs and brought me back into his arms. I smiled up at him and gave him the greeting that I'd yet to give him. "Good morning."

Edward laughed and kissed me. "I think it's more than a good morning, baby," he said when we could both talk again. "It's more like best morning ever."

I laughed and leaned against him. "So I take it you didn't mind the early wake up."

He pulled on my ponytail. "You can wake me up just like that all week long if you like."

I giggled. "Good, I didn't think you'd mind."

He shook his head and made a face. "Never. Though I did hate that you weren't in bed with me. For a few seconds there I thought this was all a dream." Oh, wow. How sweetly sad was that? "The thought terrified me."

"Oh, Edward." I kissed him. "I know it's hard to believe sometimes, but it's definitely real." And I am thankful for it every single day.

"Thank God for that," Edward said fervently. "This was way better than any dream or fantasy." He looked me up and down. "Do you know how hard it was to wait to fuck you? You're such a little temptress."

I smiled at him. "I've had this planned since the moment you mentioned the naughty school girl fantasy."

"You eclipsed it, let me tell you. You're one hell of a little actress. You sure you want to be a teacher?"

How cute was that? I touched his cheek. "I want to be your teacher for sure."

Edward grinned. "I thought that was the scenario I was getting until I read the note in here."

I figured that. "Disappointed?"

He looked incredulous at my question. "Not in the slightest."

"Good." I kissed him and he hugged me against his body. "Besides, there are four whole school days left. You never know what could happen." Teacher Swan would be making an appearance.

Edward's face lit up. "I'd love to attend class with Miss Swan."

"That's Ms. Swan and I'm sure you would. We'll just have to see if she calls school in session or not." Maybe Friday, the last school day of the week. We'd see.

Edward pouted which made me giggle. "You're teasing me again, baby."

Never a tease. "I think I came through, as promised, Mr. Cullen."

"You always do." He kissed me softly. "I love you, Bella."

"I love you, too," I responded. I shifted so that I was straddling him. School was still in session after all. "And now I'd like to see about getting started on that extra credit."

"By all means…" I loved how agreeable he was. We'd see if he was such a good boy when Ms. Swan got a hold of him. It would be fun.

* * *


	43. British Words

He was driving me nuts. He was sitting there, reading his script, looking all hot and into it and he was killing me slowly. He knew it, too. He kept looking at me and forcing me to look away from him and back at my book, pretending that he wasn't driving me crazy even though he knew that he was. Was it my fault that I was curious about this new movie? Was it illegal to want to see my super hot boyfriend on screen affecting an English accent and possibly doing something sexy like riding a horse. Oh my God, would he be riding a horse?

"Are you going to be riding a horse in this movie?" I asked before I could stop myself.

Edward looked at me over the top of his script and gave me a smirk that let me know he was amused at my inability to concentrate on anything but him. Ass. Extremely sexy, hopefully soon to be English accented speaking ass.

"Why? Do you like it when I ride?" he asked, sounding very much like he already knew the answer to that question. Add egotistical to his list of traits. Damn it.

Well, he had me. I may as well admit it, not that I was going to make it easy on him. "It might be sort of sexy," I told him. I pouted a bit since he was enjoying irritating me.

"Sort of sexy? Since when am I only sort of sexy?" he asked, frowning. Ha! Take that for teasing me.

I laughed at him. "Well, you're clothed when you ride a horse, so that diminishes the sexy a little bit." Not in the slightest. He looked magnificent in his last movie. I wanted to lick him all over after watching it. And now I could. How awesome was that?

Edward grinned. "I'm not likely to ever play Lady Godiva, so I think naked horse riding is out of the question." I couldn't stop laughing at the image I had of Edward naked on a horse, with long blond hair a la Lady Godiva. The fact that I would still probably find him hot was a little disturbing, but we'd chalk it up to love. And his gorgeous ass.

"Maybe there'll be a movie where there's a role reversal and a guy has to ride naked to distract the crowd," I mused. I would see that movie.

Edward poked my side with his pointer finger. "I'm sure that would be a wonderful movie. I'm also sure that I wouldn't be in said movie."

Of course he wouldn't. God forbid the dude show anything beyond a bare chest while the woman showed tits and ass. Okay, occasionally we got a male butt shot but not nearly as much as female's. There was such a double standard in Hollywood. "Why not?" I demanded. "It's okay for a woman to ride naked but not a man? Typical Hollywood double standards."

Edward started laughing his fool head off. I glared at him. Of course he didn't mind. "First of all, a man has a little something, or in my case, a big something between his legs that would not feel good pressed up against a horse as it walked or God forbid, trotted." Ha! That probably would be uncomfortable. "Second of all, I have this girlfriend who I would think wouldn't want the whole world to see me naked, judging by her aversion to sex scenes in my scripts."

Holy shit! What had I been thinking? Never mind. "Shit. That's right. Forget I said anything."

It was Edward's turn to laugh at me now. "Not so funny now, is it? Did your feminist lit class rear up for a second there? I'm all for equal nudity, you know that, especially when it comes to you and me."

Stupid class. Though dual nudity with Edward was always win. As long as it was me, of course. "I hate that class. I just got caught up in the image of you shirtless and riding a horse and got carried away."

Edward was looking smug again. Well, he had a valid reason to. "Tell you what; we'll save shirtless horseback riding, which I will do, for just the two of us. But the jeans are staying on."

I was on board with that plan, provided I got to attack him once we were back on the ground. "While you're riding the horse, maybe. But not when I'm riding you."

Edward moaned. "Oh, I'll definitely lose them then." He adopted a very sad expression. "There's not really much nudity in this one that I can see."

Good. He didn't have to look upset about that fact, even though I knew he was fucking with me. I kicked him lightly. "You don't have to be so sorry about it."

He grabbed my foot and started tickling me. Damn it! I yelled and wiggled before I finally got away. "I'm not disappointed for when I film the movie, but practicing with you would have been a lot of fun."

As if. He'd been hogging the script to himself for hours. Okay, less than that. Still. He knew I was dying to read it. "In order to practice, you'd have to let me read it."

"Or better yet, read it to you," he responded, grinning knowingly.

Jerk. I huffed and picked my book back up. I had yet to read an entire page but he didn't know that. "Forgive me for being curious about your movie. I'll just go back to reading." I stuck my head in the book in order to keep from looking at him. This time, he wouldn't break me. I would show no interest even when he finally deigned to let me read it.

"Vexed? Surely I should be more than vexed, Father." Holy shit! He was reading. With an accent. And oh my God it was the sexiest thing I'd ever heard in my entire life. I peeked at him over my book. "I have no desire to court either of the Pierce women." He gave a very bitter, sardonic laugh. "Aye, Fiona is very handsome. She rivals her brother William in looks and I dare say her mustache is thicker."

I bit back my laughter when Edward basically called the woman a man. I loved British insults. They were so slight and classy but cutting. He laughed and tipped my book down. "You're not fooling anybody, baby."

Okay, so I sucked at pretending not to care what he was doing. So what? He was reading for me! In the accent! Nothing could be better than that. I beamed at him. "Did your character really just imply that Fiona is mannish?"

Edward smiled. "He's a bit put out with his father, it seems. There is much pressure on him to marry before he assumes the throne."

Oh my hell, he was playing royalty? "Throne? You're a prince?" There would be no way I could get through a screening of this movie without attacking him.

"Mmm hmm. And my father, the king, and I have very different ideas about what sort of woman I should marry. I find upper crust women to be insufferable." He started speaking in the accent again and I felt faint. It was so hot. There were no words. "I far prefer a woman with a little spirit, much like my favourite horse, Glory."

Comparing his woman to his horse? "And would you break that spirit like you break a horse?"

Edward looked at me as if I was a simpleton. "I would never break her wild spirit. I'd soothe it, calm her just enough to please my parents publicly, but relish her temperament in the privacy of our boudoir."

Boudoir said in a British accent. I was done. My lips were on his and he was flat on the couch before I was even conscious of moving. I had to have him, though. He was just so sexy. I sat up and looked down at him. He looked stunned and more than a little turned on. Good. We were on the same page.

"Tell me more," I ordered.

"I'm rebellious." God, so sexy. I loved a bad boy. A bad, British prince. I squeezed his abs. "I refuse to give in to family pressure. I'll marry the right girl when I find her."

"Who is she?" I had to know who my prince preferred. I ran my finger along the top of his sweater.

"She's a commoner. Completely inappropriate. She can ride a horse and shoot a gun as well as any man. She's positively scandalous and rumoured to be tainted."

Yes! A scandalous woman. I loved it. I yanked his sweater off and Edward looked baffled. "Baby?"

"Keep going. What does she look like?" I took my sweater off as well and Edward's green eyes widened.

"She has porcelain skin that just begs for a man's touch." He reached up to touch my cheek. Oh hell, I was done for. His thumb traced along my lower lip. "Perfect pink lips that call to my own. I yearn to feel them on mine." He was going to feel something alright. I thrust my hips against his and his breath caught. "Rich brown eyes, the color of my favourite coffee blend." He was staring at me hungrily and speaking in that accent. I couldn't hold out for much longer. "Mahogany hair that glints with fire in the sun." He ran his fingers through my hair and I nearly came undone. "Bosoms that make me forget that I'm supposed to be a gentleman." Good Lord, he used the word bosoms! I loved my creative boyfriend.

"I burn for her, and from the first moment I lay eyes on her, she's all that I can see. Every insipid debutante that my parents put before me sends me running toward her."

Yes, damn those debutants. "Does she want you back?" I asked as I reached behind me and undid my bra, taking it off and throwing it across the room. Edward squeezed my waist.

"She does, but she doesn't trust me. She thinks I just want a tumble before I am betrothed to someone of my station."

"Your station," I murmured. Of course that's what the King and Queen would want. "Yes, they would want you to be with someone in your class. Some lady or something."

"I don't want a lady, I just want you," he replied, breaking character.

How cute was he? "Me, huh? Is that who you were describing?"

He grinned at me. "You know that I was. There's nobody else for me." He was speaking as Edward now and damned if he wasn't just as sexy, especially when he was saying that.

"Damn right there's not. Now show me."

He cupped my breasts immediately. "Happily, my love."

I reached down and flicked open his jeans. "Keep the accent."

Edward raised an eyebrow at me. "Maybe I really should worry about bringing you to Germany this summer."

Silly man. I laughed and kissed him. "It's you combined with the accent that drives me wild."

"Well in that case…" he started spouting off British words and phrases that had nothing to do with one another but the accent was beautiful so I didn't care. I kissed my way down his neck and then over his hard pecs and abs.

He grunted and stopped talking. "Don't stop," I told him, unzipping his zipper. He immediately said he was going to renounce the throne for me which was definitely one of the most epic things a prince could do for a girl if I said so myself. "That's so romantic," I informed him, yanking his pants and boxers down his legs.

"Baby, I can't think about romance when your mouth's right…" I took his cock in my mouth and he bucked off the couch. "Holy shit!" His hands were in my hair. "Bella, Jesus."

Oh no, he'd dropped the accent. We couldn't have that. "Accent, please."

"Isabella, don't tease me," he grunted, in the accent. I smiled and took him back into my mouth. Edward moaned and then managed a "Cheers" which made me laugh. Though I loved having him in my mouth, I needed him inside me. I stood and yanked off my yoga pants. I hadn't bothered with anything else because I knew he'd have me naked eventually.

I straddled him and had him nearly where I wanted him. I wanted to play a little. "I think you need riding lessons before this film."

His eyes lit up. "Absolutely. I want to be technically perfect."

And I'd make sure of it. I took him inside me, slowly, enjoying the way it felt as my body stretched to accommodate him and how perfectly full I felt as I sank down on top of him. "You start out slow," I instructed, moving my hips slowly. "Let your horse get used to your body."

"I'm incredibly used to your body," he responded. That was nothing but the truth. He already knew me in a way nobody ever had. With just one touch he could send me flying.

"Mmm, well, once your mount adjusts, you can kick her into a trot." I sped up my movements and Edward responded perfectly, gripping my waist and meeting me with the exact rhythm I wanted. "Do you like trotting, Edward?"

"I love trotting, Bella. I like a nice, smooth ride."

His accent was still present though I could tell he was having issues concentrating. That made me feel sexy and desirable. I laughed and moved faster. "There's something to be said for letting loose and going on a full out gallop though."

Edward adjusted, pulling me onto his cock, going with my speed. It wasn't going to take much longer. He was hitting the perfect spot and I was beyond turned on by his voice and his face and his body and just everything.

"Yes, yes, I like that very much," he said. He began to stroke my clit and I moved faster. He met me thrust for thrust and with one shift he hit the spot that never failed to make me come.

I threw back my head and came, holding onto his legs for dear life as I felt the sparks shooting through my body. "Prince Edward!" I yelled as I got lost in the moment. Edward laughed and tightened his grip on me as he came as well. I rode him until he was done and then let myself fall onto his chest. He cupped my cheeks and kissed me passionately.

"You never fail to fascinate me," he told me. "Who knew that my script would turn you on like that? I didn't even read any of the sexy parts."

I giggled and he held me close. "Why do you think I'm an English major? I love words, what can I say?"

"I love your words," he responded, stroking my back. "I'm so glad they brought you to me."

I folded my hands on his chest and rested my chin on them, looking into that indescribably gorgeous face of his. "Who knew that calling myself a spaz would reel you in? I honestly never dreamed we'd be here like this." I giggled because that wasn't entirely true. I'd definitely imagined myself naked with Edward a time or a million. "Okay, well I might have imagined it, but it was pure fantasy for the toy stash."

Edward grinned roguishly. "I love that you thought about me when you touched yourself, even before you knew me."

I giggled. "Really? That doesn't bother you? There must be millions of women who have done the same."

He blushed. He honest to goodness blushed. It was the cutest thing ever. "It's hot that _you_ did it," he decided. "It can be uncomfortable when I hear about others doing it."

No doubt. "Yeah, I think I can understand that."

Edward smirked. "Of course you can. You're a beautiful woman and we both know you have at least a few admirers."

Ew. They weren't good ones. "Don't remind me."

Edward shook his head. "I should get back to reading my script. You sidetracked me."

"In the best possible way," I told him, kissing him on his adorable chin.

"Absolutely. If you'd like to distract me exactly the same way in an hour, feel free."

I laughed. I guess I'd better let him work at some point. I sat up and grabbed my clothes. "I'm going to make dinner, so we'll hold the distractions until later."

"You're cooking? What are we having?" He sounded extremely excited about that. We'd just had frozen pizza last night, wanting to chill after our morning of schooling and such.

I knew exactly what I was making. A perfect cold weather food. "Chicken and broccoli casserole is good on a cold day. Don't worry, it's loaded with cheese."

That made him grin. "Sounds good, baby. Do you need me to do anything?"

"No. You get to know your character so you can introduce him to me fully later." I want to play with my Prince again.

Edward's eyes were twinkling. "Absolutely."

"Carry on, then. Cheerio!" I put on my pants and sweater. My bra was all the way across the room and I didn't feel like wearing it anyway.

"That was…um…" Edward screwed up his face, trying to find a way not to insult my terrible accent. I sucked, I admitted it. Of course he liked one way that I sucked.

"Terrible," I filled in for him. "But you love me too much to tell me so. It's okay, I don't need the accent. I'll just make you use yours whenever I have a craving."

He smirked as he put back on his jeans. "Which do you crave more? Me or the accent?"

That was a dumb question. I pulled him to me by his waistband. "You. Always you." I kissed him hard to show him just who and what I craved. "Leave the sweater off. I think we should get in the hot tub later, with the snow coming down." And I loved his bare chest. So damn sexy.

"Sounds good to me, love." He kissed me.

"See you shortly. Get to work!" I had a lot of chopping and cutting to do. It was an easy meal but prep could be a pain. It'd be worth it though. I knew he'd love it and I was excited to do something for him for once, even if it was only cooking.

Xoxoxoxox

"Dinner was delicious, baby," Edward said for the second time. Even if he hadn't said it, I would have known he liked it by the way he wolfed down two helpings.

I smiled at him. "I'm glad you liked it. The best thing about this is that it makes a ton and it's just as good reheated. It'll last us a few days." I studied what was left and then looked at my well fed boyfriend. "Well, unless you plan on eating two bowlfuls every time."

Edward huffed as he pushed away from the table and took our bowls to the sink. "I'll have you know I was showing restraint. I wanted more but I'd rather get in the hot tub with you than eat more of your amazing meal. You should take that as a compliment."

He was adorable when he pouted. I went up behind Edward and pressed myself against him, hugging him. "I should take it as a compliment that you prefer my body to my food? Sex over nourishment?"

Edward laughed and turned around in my arms. "Sex is nourishment as far as I'm concerned. And I prefer all of you, baby. Your body, your food, your mind, your sweet laugh…" I had to kiss him for that. "That too," he told me when we finally came up for air.

"Mmm, more of that to come. I'm going to go put on a bathing suit. Why don't you start the hot tub?" I needed a moment to get into that skimpy ass suit Rose and Alice had talked me into.

Edward smiled. "It's already bubbling away, baby. Meet you out there in five minutes?" he asked.

"Sure." I danced out of his reach and zipped upstairs to change. I had my suit waiting in the bathroom so I took off my clothes and tugged the little bits of fabric into place. Jeez. I would never wear this thing for anybody but Edward. It barely covered my tits and it sure didn't quite cover my ass. Plenty of cheek hanging out for him to grab on to, which of course he'd appreciate.

I gave myself a once over before heading outside through the French doors in our bedroom. I loved this place. We had a stunning view of the mountains from this room along with the river that hadn't frozen over yet. I could hear it trickling.

"Hey baby, I just remembered that…" Edward's voice trailed off when he caught sight of me in the doorway. While I would have loved to pose sexily for him, it was damn cold. My nipples were already hard enough to cut glass and I hadn't even touched the snow on the deck yet. I squealed when I felt snow on my toes and ran to the hot tub. Damn cold. I should have brought my parka out with me. How sexy would that have been though?

"Holy shit, it's cold," I yelped when I got to Edward. He offered me his hand and helped me get in. It was freezing but the instant that hot water touched my skin I felt miles better. I sank into the seat next to Edward and let the water bring back feeling to my limbs.

"Yes, it is," Edward agreed, pulling me between his legs and holding me close. Ah, that was even better. "Now it's perfect."

I relaxed against Edward and looked out at the beautiful night. The snow was still falling lightly and it almost felt like we were the only two people in the world right now. "It's so beautiful out here."

"I was just thinking that," he responded. "Though it's even more so now that you're here with me."

It should have been cheesy but it wasn't, not when it came from Edward. I kissed his jaw. "You're such a sap."

"Only with you."

"As it should be." I remembered that he'd been speaking before he caught sight of me in my nothing suit. "What were you saying when I came out?"

Edward thought for a moment. "That we owe each other massages."

"Oooh, that's right. I believe you promised to use your sexy hands on me for hours." I would be putty in his hands no doubt. He kissed my neck and I shivered for a whole new reason. I wasn't cold anymore.

"I don't know if I can go hours with you naked and not take you, baby. It's already difficult with you in that tiny excuse for a bathing suit."

I laughed, because I suspected he was right. "We'll just have to do it after I've worn you out so you can't get it up."

His teeth found my ear and I moaned. "That will never happen, baby. Don't even joke about such a thing."

It was true. That would be a travesty. I ran my hand over his knee and he moved his legs and let me feel just how much of a problem it wasn't to turn him on. "I wasn't worried," I told him.

"Good." Some cry broke the night and Edward turned to look in the direction from whence it came. "How do you think they're doing?" he asked.

Silly question. "I think they're just fine. They survived the hard part. I told you Emmett said we weren't going to see them until Sunday." Sunday. We still had four whole days together but Sunday was looming and I hated it. I didn't want to be apart from him at all, but I knew there was nothing we could do about it.

"It won't be too long before we have the whole summer together," he reminded me, as usual reading me like a book.

I turned so I could see him and he shifted me so that I sat sideways across his lap. "I'm looking forward to it."

"Summer or graduation?" he asked.

"Both. I can't believe I'm graduating and that you're going to be there to see it." It still seemed unbelievable to me.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world."

I kissed him. "I'm excited that you're all coming. It's going to feel like a real family thing with you there, along with my Dad and Sue and Alice's parents. Not too long ago I just figured it'd be Dad and the Brandons, but now we'll have a whole house full of people." Graduation really hadn't seemed too exciting prior to the Cullen's announcing they'd be there. It just would have been dinner and then maybe me and the girls getting drunk after the parents left.

Edward moved a strand of hair that was sticking to my neck. Something flashed in his eyes and he looked conflicted. What was up with him? "Bella, don't get pissed but I have to ask this." Oh shit, what did he want to know? "Are you sure that you don't want to invite your mother? I mean, I get that it would be awkward with your dad and his new girlfriend but don't you think she wants to be there?"

My mother? As if she'd make time in her life for something as trivial as my graduation?

"I'm sorry, baby. Forget that I…"

"No, it's okay," I stopped him before he could get all worked up. I wasn't upset with him. He just didn't get it. And why should he? He had a real mother. "I don't know. I mean, is it wrong that I don't even want her there? She's never been there for anything, Edward. I haven't spent one holiday with her since I was three. Not one birthday. I visited her for a couple of summers when I was younger and you'd think that she'd do something special when she had me, right? I mean, if you don't see your kid for a few years, you'd plan things to do with them. A trip to the zoo, shopping, whatever. Do you know what I did when I visited her?" I was getting worked up but I couldn't seem to stop myself. This is why I didn't talk about her, think about her, or talk to her.

Edward shook his head, watching me nervously. "I read, Edward. I read whatever books I had and watched TV and fended for myself while she went out at night and worked during the day. Weekends she spent with whatever guy she was hooked up with at the time. After a couple of trips like that, I begged my dad not to send me to her anymore. He didn't and she never complained about it." Which only solidified the fact that she had zero interest in me.

Edward looked sad, which I hated. "Baby, it's not wrong that you don't want her there. I guess I just hoped she'd want to be."

I stared down at the water. "She knows how old I am. She knows I should be graduating. It's not like she's asked me about it, or even called for that matter. I called on her birthday and got her voicemail. Something about partying in Vegas." She disgusted me. "You'd think she was the twenty-two year old."

"You and Rose both got the short stick when it came to parents," Edward agreed, pulling me close. "I'm so sorry, Bella."

He sounded so guilty. I slipped my arms around his neck and hugged him. "It's okay. At least I had Charlie." Growing up with him had been enough. I laughed as I remembered some of the things he'd had to deal with. "He certainly wasn't a mother figure but he made sure I never went without. He got Mrs. Brandon to take me shopping for my first bra." I smiled and Edward smiled back, looking relieved that I wasn't sad anymore. I had it good with Dad. He was all I needed, until now. "She told me that he asked her to help with my womanly needs." I laughed harder as I remembered the worst of my womanly needs. "And let's just say that when my other womanly need arrived, he put me in the squad car and turned on the lights like there was an emergency. I guess for Charlie there was one."

Edward was howling with laughter. "Did he take you to the hospital?" he asked.

"No. He took me to Alice's house and practically threw money at me to buy whatever it was I needed before he drove away. That's when I officially took over grocery shopping." He'd avoided me like the plague that night at home, but when I'd woken up, there'd been a glass of water and a bottle of Motrin on my nightstand. Dad was so cute.

Edward couldn't stop laughing and neither could I. "I can't wait to meet your father."

I had to tell him. I cupped his cheeks and smiled into his handsome face. "You should know that he's been scouring the tabloids." Edward groaned. "When I called to tell him we arrived he let me know that you might be two-timing me with Jane."

Edward frowned. "Just what I need. A protective father who can legally shoot me and likes to read entertainment gossip."

I giggled some more. "That's the thing, though. The only magazines my father reads are _Sports Illustrated_ and some fishing magazines. But now that he knows about you, he's checking out _Us_ and _People_ and shit like that. It's so funny. Maybe he'll have Sue buy them for him, because I really can't see the Chief buying an _Enquirer_ for all of Forks to gossip about." Edward shot me a look. "It's a very small town. Everybody knows everything and Charlie buying gossip magazines would be cause for talk."

He sighed. "You did tell him it was all bullshit, right? I don't want him hating me before we even meet."

I kissed him and he relaxed into me. "Of course I told him that. He's cautious, Edward. He'll grow to love you, because I do, but I can't promise he'll be all hugs and smiles when you first meet him."

"I'm glad Mom's going to be there."

I snickered at the image I had of him hiding behind his mother. "You think she'll protect you?"

He smiled confidently. "Well, she would if she had to, but it's more that I think she'll make sure your dad loves me, her and everybody named Cullen before the day is over. It's just what she does, unless she doesn't like a person."

"And then?" What if she hated me? What would she do?

Edward shook his head. "She'll love you, I've told you that. She's already beyond excited to meet you. But if you must know, if she doesn't like a person, well, she can make their life hell." He smiled wickedly. "She wants to cast James in some movie wherein all this bad stuff happens to his character, including getting covered in a pile of actual shit. And I guarantee you; she'd pull strings and make sure they really did use shit."

I loved that. I laughed so hard I was near tears. "Can't she put Irina in that movie too?"

Edward shook his head. "She'd love to. Or she'd actually love to blackball her from the business. I told her not to, but whether she listens or not remains to be seen."

Well, that sucked. She should blackball that bitch. "Why can't she?"

Edward laughed at me. "Because she's not worth it. I don't care a lick about what Irina does or doesn't do. Will I be in a movie with her again? No, but I'm not going to see her run out of Hollywood either. That gives her way too much importance."

He was so mature compared to me. I'd totally be okay with her crushing Irina. His mother sounded amazing. "True. Well, I'm glad your mother has your back. Never take that for granted, Edward."

Edward moved to the edge of the seat and turned me so I was facing him. "I don't. And I hope you'll let her have your back, too, because I promise you she'll want to. I can't make up for the time you lost with your mother, Bella, but I can tell you it's going to be different from here on out. My mother will very much want to be a part of your life and I hope you'll let her." Oh shit, I was going to cry. He didn't know how truly wonderful that was to hear. "She'll be a kick ass mother-in-law, that much I know."

He ran his thumbs over my cheeks, wiping my tears away. "Please don't cry, baby."

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. "You just don't know what it means when you offer up your family that way. When Emmett did it for Rose. It's no big deal for you, because you've always had it and your family is so close and open with one another and stuff. It's something I've always wanted and you're telling me it's mine now."

"It is. We are. You're my one and that makes you family. I promise you'll be treated that way from the first minute."

And that was incredible. They were incredible. He was beyond it. I smiled as he brushed my last tear away. "You're so much more than I ever dreamed you'd be." He looked confused. "You know, when I first set out to find you, I hoped we'd get along and you'd be cool. You seemed that way in interviews but you never know really what the public and private façade is. After all, your ex comes off as little Suzie Sunshine when she wants to." Edward laughed. "So I hoped you'd be a nice guy, but I never imagined you'd be this warm, this wonderful and this open and loving with me."

He crushed me to him. "I can't be anything but with you, Bella. You're my everything. And it meant so much when you saw beyond the celebrity and liked me for who I was."

I smiled and ran my fingers through his hair. "You're my everything too. And I love who you are. I far prefer the man to the image."

Edward's lips were hard on mine and something else was very hard against me. I moaned and grinded against him. He tore his lips from mine. "I love you." His hands move down and grabbed my ass.

"I love you, too. So much." Edward's hand slid up my back and he untied my top. I sat back and we both pulled it off. I arched my back out of the water and Edward moaned as his eyes took in my very hard nipples. He pulled me to him and sucked the right one into his mouth as his fingers worked the left one. "Edward," I moaned as he worked his magic on me. Nobody could turn me on the way he could.

His other hand got busy with my bikini bottoms and I helped him maneuver it over my legs. Then I freed him from his shorts. "I want you, now." I had to connect with him.

Edward stood and I was able to wrap my legs around him. His cock hit my clit and I moaned. He lifted me a little and his gaze met mine as he pushed inside of me. He steered us over to the wall and pushed me against it, a jet stream of water hitting my backside and moving underneath us to where we were connected. He pushed me back against the wall and slid deeper inside me. It felt amazing. I was being stimulated front and back and of course I was looking at and kissing the most beautiful man in existence. It was all too much.

I tightened my legs around him as he started to stroke my clit and move in and out of me faster.

"Yes," I screeched as he lifted me a little and the jet hit me just right, not to mention where his cock was hitting inside of me.

"I'm going to come soon, baby," he told me.

Yes, oh yes. "Me, too. Harder, Edward. Fuck me harder."

Edward sped up and rolled my clit in his fingers. He hit my spot and I came hard, calling his name. He stroked into me once more before coming inside me. I clung to him as he let go. "Jesus, baby," Edward gasped.

I made some noise as he slid out of me and sat back down, holding me to him. "I want to spend all cold nights just like this." I knew it wasn't possible but we could do it again I hoped.

Edward laughed and held me tight. "I'll make it happen," he promised. And somehow I had a feeling he would.

* * *


	44. Fightin' Words

I couldn't believe Edward was from Chicago. Less than half an hour out in the snow and he was already high tailing it back into the cabin. He was the one who started the snowball fight; it was just me who finished it.

"You're such a wuss," I told him, giggling as we opened the door to go back inside.

"I'm not a wuss," he responded, stamping his feet to get the snow off his boots before taking them and his coat off. I would never complain about him wearing less clothes. "You don't want me to get sick, do you?"

Such a baby. I took off my own boots and coat and hung it up to dry. I left my mittens on and poked his forearm with one, causing him to jump about a mile. "See, you are a wuss."

"I can't help it if I've lived in California too long." He sounded all offended at me questioning his manhood. He was so cute. I was going to have some fun with him.

"The people of Chicago are going to revoke your residency." I used my left hand to pull him to me and gave him a searing kiss. His arms tightened around me and I struggled not to get lost in the moment as I reached into my pocket with my free hand and grabbed the snowball that I'd stashed in there.

"I'm much warmer now," Edward told me as we broke apart.

"Yeah?" I asked, smiling brightly at him. He was completely clueless and I couldn't contain my glee. "Good." I stuffed the snowball down the front of his shirt and ran as he yelled and started disrobing. Hmm, that was an effective way to get him naked. I ran upstairs and ducked into our bedroom.

"You're in trouble now, baby!" he yelled. I snickered as I opened the French doors and grabbed another handful of snow before shutting the door and ducking into the bathroom. Edward was none too quiet and I could hear him doing something in the kitchen.

"Bella, where are you?" I giggled as he got closer and stepped out of the bathroom just as he filled the doorway. I let loose with my snowball and hit him dead in the center of his sexy bare chest. Yeah, I was mean, but the yell and the bowl of ice clattering to the floor had me laughing my ass off. I grabbed a towel and handed it to him while he glared at me.

He yanked the towel away and held it to his chest as he bent to pick up the ice that was all over the floor. "What was this for?" I asked, like I didn't know.

He picked up a piece and threw it down my sweater. It was cold and I yelled. "Payback."

I fished it out and laughed at his pathetic attempt. "Mine was better."

Edward shot a glare toward the balcony as if it had wronged him by being snow covered and providing me with more ammo. "Yes, it was."

He so cute when he got bested by me. I helped him finish cleaning up the ice and stood, offering him a hand which he took. I pulled him up and held him close. "I'm sorry. How'd you like me to make it up to you?"

His hands found their place on my ass and he squeezed, smiling now. "What did you have in mind?"

Oh, plenty of things, but a bath for starters. "How about a nice hot bath followed by some hot casserole? And if you're a good boy, later we'll have hot chocolate."

He grinned at me. "I'll be a very good boy, Bella."

Hopefully not too good. "We'll see about that." I pulled him into the bathroom. We'd taken Wednesday off, sexwise, somehow managing to behave ourselves through our full body massages. Well, we both got each other off, but there'd been no actual sex. So we had to make up for it now and I wanted to play in the tub. We'd been too relaxed last night to do more than cuddle in there.

I turned on the water and got a smack on the ass when I bent over to add the bubbles. I jumped and glared at him, not because I minded, but because he surprised the hell out of me. "Watch it, Mr. Cullen. That doesn't go into the good boy column, you know."

He smirked and unhooked his jeans. "I thought you girls liked bad boys."

I liked whatever he was. And he was all good. "I suppose we like to play with them for awhile but if they don't change, we dump them to marry the good boys." I pulled off my sweater and t-shirt and Edward licked his lips when he took in my dark green bra. It matched his eyes beautifully.

"Well, you're lucky. You get both with me." I watched as the rest of his clothes came off. God, he was beautiful. Even with a slightly red chest from where my snowball had hit him.

I reached behind me and took off my bra. "Is that so?"

Edward started to take off my jeans and I swatted at his hands. Not that I minded him undressing me, but he'd undressed himself so fair was fair. He ignored me as he pulled down my jeans. "Sure, I'm an actor. I can be whatever you want me to be." My underwear quickly followed and Edward tossed my clothes on the pile behind him.

I didn't want him to be anything but what he was. That was who I loved. "I just want you to be to you."

"With the occasional accent," he said with a smile.

I had to laugh. "Yeah, there is that." Edward kissed me and pushed me over to the tub. He held my hand as I stepped inside and sat down. He then climbed behind me and pulled me between his legs. I rested my head against his chest and enjoyed the feeling of the hot water and the even hotter man wrapped around me. Life was incredibly good. I didn't know what I was going to do on Monday when he left. I knew I had to be strong. I'd see him in five weeks for graduation and then we'd have the whole summer. I just had to suck it up and get through our separation.

Edward was quiet and I just let myself drift, imagining what the summer would hold. The days would be filled with sightseeing with Rose and the nights would be filled with Edward. The only thing better would be seeing the sights with Edward but he'd be working.

"I heard back from Marcus," Edward interrupted my thoughts.

I turned to look at him. "What did he say?"

"It's a done deal. I'll start filming September eighteenth in London." He watched closely for my reaction. I wasn't sure what he expected. Was part of me sad that he'd be away for three more months? Of course, but I was excited about the project. I knew it would be major for his career.

"That's great, Edward. I'm really excited for you to do this movie. Everybody's going to see what a great actor you are!"

He smiled at me. "They wanted me a week earlier than that but I asked for some time off."

"Oh?" That was interesting. It meant he'd be free for my birthday, maybe. "Why not just go straight from one movie to the other?"

Edward shook his head. "Did you think I wouldn't be spending your birthday with you?" he asked. I shrugged because I hadn't thought about it. Birthdays were just another day in my world generally. I usually just got hammered with Rose and Alice. "Really? Baby, I don't care where in the world I might be, I'm damn well going to spend your birthday with you every year."

He was too incredible for words. "Really? I'm not very big on birthdays."

Edward scowled and I wondered where his mind went. "Well, I'm very big on your birthday. It should be a national holiday. An international one, for that matter." I laughed. He was so cute. "It's definitely going to be an Edward Cullen holiday. I shall never work on a September thirteenth ever again." He affected the English accent again and I wanted to attack him. He was so sweet.

"You'd really fly all the way back here for my birthday? I'd come to London, God would I love to, but my classes start back up on the twenty-sixth of August." I was getting less and less excited about them as the days with Edward went by. It was silly, though. We'd see each other and I'd get my education like I planned.

Edward ran his fingers up my arm and I shivered at his touch. "Of course I'd fly in for your birthday. I've got about two weeks between shoots and I plan to spend as much time with you as I can, though you'll have to go to class so we'll be staying in Seattle."

I would be in class while Edward was sitting around my apartment doing a whole lot of nothing. "That's going to suck, sitting in class knowing you're waiting for me."

He grinned. "I'll be sure to send you little reminders of the fact that I'm at home, naked, waiting on you."

"Naked?" How the hell was I supposed to sit in a boring ass class while he was naked? "Do you want me to fail out in the first few weeks?"

Edward laughed. "Of course not, baby. We'll be working on your concentration skills. You're going to need to be able to tune out certain stimuli; noisy students, commotions in the hallway, a fellow teacher yelling at some idiot who didn't turn in their homework. This would just be another form of that."

I hardly thought I'd have any distraction that compared to a naked Edward Cullen. "A way different form that I'd never have to confront in the classroom."

He smirked. "How do you know? Some super hot student could turn you on."

Right. Like that could happen. "I highly doubt that, when I have you to come home to."

"Well, we could find out if Ms. Swan were to hold a class this week…" He traced the line of my breast and eyed me. I knew he was anxious to play teacher again and I was planning on giving him his wish in the morning, but I wasn't about to tell him that for sure.

His fingers sent fire through me and I moaned and tilted my head. Edward took my hint and started kissing my neck, licking and sucking gently. It felt so good. "There's still one school day left, you know," I managed.

"So there is." He sounded so hopeful. Like I'd ever let him down?

I smiled and said nothing more though, letting his lips take me away from plots of what I could do with him tomorrow to ideas of what I could do with him today. He took my breasts in his hands and ran his thumbs over my nipples, making them stiffen. "Edward," I whispered as I slid my hand up his leg. It wasn't the most comfortable move but I got my arm between us and grasped his hard cock in my hand. I squeezed and moved as much as I could. Edward didn't seem to mind, arching his hips against me and kissing my jaw as his hand slid down my stomach. I moaned as his fingers found my clit and started moving against it skillfully. He had amazing hands, just like I'd always imagined. Better, really.

"You know, I shouldn't make you feel good after you attacked me with snow," he told me, though he continued to rub and kiss me.

"Maybe not, but you want to anyway," I informed him, squeezing his cock again.

Edward shifted and bit my neck lightly. "Stand up, Bella." I turned to look at him, wondering what he was up to and got a raised eyebrow and a smile. I could resist neither so I let go of him and grasped the side of the tub, standing in front of him, facing away. "Turn around." I did so and Edward was right there eying me hungrily. He pointed to the side of the tub. "Put your leg up there." This was definitely turning into the best bath ever. I did as he asked and no sooner was my leg up than his tongue was on me. I gasped in surprise and Edward smirked. "Hold on, baby." Hold on to what? I was going to fall over, hit my head and die but it would be worth it to have his tongue on my pussy. Oh wait; there was a towel rack against the wall. I grabbed that and Edward immediately started licking me again. Fucking hell. I was going to come so fast it wouldn't even be funny. He slid two fingers inside me and looked up at me. "How do you like that, beautiful?"

Like I could answer that? It was sheer perfection. "God!" I somehow said, throwing my head back. I tightened my grip on the towel rack because I very well might go boneless any second now. His tongue and his fingers were both so talented and I knew it wasn't going to be long. "So close, baby," I yelled as his teeth scraped over my clit. Suddenly I felt nothing and I looked down to see Edward leaning back against the tub. "Don't stop!" I was embarrassingly close to begging but I didn't care. I needed more.

"Payback's a bitch!" he said with a cheeky smile. Oh, that was fucked up! How dare he? I yelled and shoved him underwater. He came up, spitting out water and batting bubbles out of his hair and eyes. He kind of looked hilarious but I was too annoyed to laugh. "I don't get you off and you try to drown me? I'm calling the cops." He was so proud of himself, I could tell.

As if. I put my hands on my hips and glared at him. "Go right ahead. I'm sure my dad would be thrilled to get a call that I'd gotten arrested because my boyfriend refused to get me off."

He laughed. "Like you'd tell him that was why? I think it might be worse for you."

No way. It would suck for me but Edward would be a dead man. "It'd be embarrassing as hell for me, sure, but it'd be worse for you. The man has guns."

He smiled sweetly and stroked my thighs. "So you're saying if I don't get you off, your dad will shoot me?"

I held back my laugh, just barely. I was going to win. "Yes."

Edward laughed and pulled me back to where I wanted to be. "In that case, I'd better get to work." He better not be fucking with me again. I watched him as he pushed my legs apart and then his tongue was back on me. Hell yes. I grabbed the towel rack again as two long, talented fingers slid inside me, moving in tangent with his tongue.

"So good!" I complimented him. He hummed or something on my clit and damn it felt incredible. Then his fingers hit pay dirt and I came hard, holding on to the towel rack for all I was worth and giving myself over to the sensation that washed through me. Nobody made me feel like he did, nobody. When I could focus again, I realized I had one hand in his hair, holding him to me. When did I move that? Jeez.

"Better, baby?" he asked, sounding smug.

I let go of his hair with one final tug. "Maybe." But I wasn't ready to forgive him quite yet. I sat at the other end of the tub, draping my feet over his legs. Edward looked adorably put out that I was as far away as I could get without getting out of the tub.

"Come back here," he whined. Hell no. I shook my head. "Why not?"

"Because you were a terrible tease," I informed him.

"But I made good on it." His pout was priceless. It would take a stronger woman than me to resist, but I was still going to make him work for it a little.

"Only after I threatened you with a shooting!" I glared at him for good measure.

"That wasn't very nice, baby. I was just getting back at you for the snow."

"Not the same." I crossed my arms. No way. Sexual deprivation was way worse than snowball. His hand tightened on my ankle and he pulled me to him, moving to center of the tub so that I was straddling him. "Damn it, Edward!"

"What?" he asked, sounding completely innocent. Ha! How innocent could he be with his cock rubbing against my clit? "Don't you want me?"

Dumbest question ever. I didn't answer and he hit my clit again. "Is that a no? I could take care of myself I guess." He sounded like a little boy who'd been deprived of ice cream after dinner or something. It was cute. And hot. And his hand was on his dick and his knuckles brushed against me as he stroked himself under the water. Fuck me. Well, yes, he would be momentarily I hoped. I stopped him because I was about to come.

"No, it's not a no."

He smiled. "So, yes, then?"

I laughed. "Do you even need to ask?"

"Yes. No means no. I'd always respect that."

Of course he would. He was a wonderful man. I kissed him. "I know, handsome. But I want you, pretty much all the time."

Edward grinned as he lifted me onto his cock. "I want you all the time, too." I sank down on him and he filled me perfectly, just like always.

I kissed him. "Then take me, while you can." He did as I asked, moving in and out of me slowly. Our hands touched on the side of the tub as we both used it to give us some leverage. I loved it so much that our fingers were touching like that as we made love, because that's what it was. Unhurried, sweet love. Yeah, it was a bit awkward and our movements were limited but it was still an incredible moment. Edward knew, just like he always did, that I was getting close and he stroked my clit, sending me over the edge. He thrust deep inside me and came. I rested my head on his shoulder and slid my arms around him.

"I love you," he said simply.

I lifted my head off his shoulder and met his serious green eyes. "I love you, too."

He touched my cheek softly. "I always will."

I smiled. I believed him. "Me, too." We sat quietly for a bit before his stomach rumbled and I knew I needed to feed him. "Now that I've taken care of one of your hungers, how about I take care of another?"

He grinned. "That sounds great." He took my hands and helped me up. I handed him a towel and started to reach for my own but he stopped me and dried me off instead. It took everything I had not to jump him again. He was so caring and sweet. He took my breath away. Like he'd just said, he always would, too. I had no doubt about that.

Xoxoxoxox

"I'm gonna check on them," Edward informed me. He was just buying time. He knew I was gonna wipe the floor with him. Or the table would be more accurate.

I laughed. "You just want to put off your ass kicking." He gave me a confident, sexy smirk that I wanted to bite. But no, I had to get my game face on.

"I'm not worried," he informed me, dialing his brother's number.

I don't know what Emmett said but Edward flinched a little. "I was just checking to see if you and Rose were alive." He made the cutest disgusted face I've ever seen. "Are you fucking right now, Emmett?"

I giggled. "Goodbye, Emmett." Edward disconnected the call and looked a bit shell shocked.

"They were having sex?" I asked. Why had he answered the phone?

Edward jerked a shoulder. "They were doing something that I'm better off not knowing about. I already know more about Rose than I really wanted to."

It was his own fault. "I told you not to call."

"And I should have listened to you. Now I'm scarred for life."

I doubted that. Emmett seemed pretty open with his brother. "Somehow I bet Emmett's scandalized you more than whatever he said on the phone."

Edward scrunched up his face. "I still didn't need to hear it."

"Poor baby." I patted him gently and went into the living room. "Now are you ready to be even more traumatized?"

He walked into the room with a smirk. "I'm ready to watch you bend over with a long stick in your hands," he told me. I jabbed him in the gut with my stick. "What? It's the beauty of playing pool with a sexy woman."

Good save. I got the balls organized and racked them. "Shall I break or do you want to?"

"Ladies first," he offered. I bent over the table and Edward moved behind me. I bit back a grin at the groan I heard behind me. "You did that on purpose," he accused.

I glanced at him over my shoulder. He was eying my ass hungrily. Yeah, I did it on purpose. I liked to win, what could I say? "Did what?" I asked innocently, or as innocently as I could manage.

"You didn't wear underwear." His voice was full of accusation and longing.

"Maybe I'm out of them," I suggested.

"For real?" His voice was easily an octave or two higher. He was so easy. I turned back around and struck the cue ball, sending it into the others and smiling in triumph when I sank one of each kind.

"Damn," he muttered. He knew he was in trouble. What did he think I did in college, just go to classes? I'd become pretty damn good at pool. Rose and Alice were even better though. If they wanted to go on the road and be ringers they totally could.

I laughed at the baffled expression on Edward's face. "I'll be solids." I had a good shot at the two ball so I sank that and followed up with four ball to the right corner pocket.

"Am I going to get a turn?" Edward asked.

I knocked in the three. "Maybe." Actually, yes, he was, because I misfired on the one ball. Edward was scowling at the table and he finally took a shot at the eleven, but he hit the cue into the side pocket for a scratch. I smiled at the irritation his handsome face but didn't say a word, lining up with the five ball and sinking it in the corner pocket.

Edward positioned himself behind me and I could feel his eyes on me as I took on the one ball again. It was distracting, knowing that he watching and wanting me. Well, I assumed the last part, but he wanted me pretty much all the time and I knew it and I missed. Damn.

Edward sank the ten and he was incredibly sexy scowling and concentrating. It took all I had not to crawl over the table and tackle him. He missed on the twelve and it was my turn again. I took out the seven and the blasted one and all that was left was the eight ball. I had a pretty straight shot to the right corner so I turned and smiled at Edward. "Eight ball, corner pocket." I pointed out which corner and bent over the table. I was going to beat him! It was terrible, I knew, but I loved winning. I lined up my shot and drew the stick back, bringing it forward with perfect velocity as I…what the fuck! I hopped up as his hand grabbed my ass and the cue ball went flying into the pocket the eight ball was supposed to go in.

"I win!" Edward cheered. He started gyrating his hips. Any other time it might have been cute.

Like hell he did. "You do not win! You're a cheater!" I chased him around the table, ready to smack him with my cue stick. He was laughing his ass off.

"The rule is if you scratch when going for the eight ball, your opponent wins." He could barely get the words out he was laughing so hard. Like I didn't know the rules? There were rules against grabbing your opponent's ass as well, I was quite sure.

"I'm going to go for some balls in a minute," I told him as I came around the corner. He raced to the other side.

"You know, baby, you're a poor loser. First with _Words_ , now with pool."

How dare he bring that up? "I didn't lose _Words_ , you did! You forfeited!"

Edward scowled. "But I was winning, therefore you lost."

"Oh no, you lost, that's what forfeiting is. It's refusing to compete because you're going to get your ass kicked. I won; you lost, just like here." That was my story and I was sticking to it.

Edward smirked and put his hands on the table. "My ass appears to be just fine."

Fuck this. I launched myself across the table and Edward stared at me as I slammed into him. He caught me at the shoulders and kept both of us from hitting the floor. I was sitting on the pool table on my knees. The mirth died out of Edward's face and something harder and hotter appeared there. Fuck me.

"I won," I told him, because I wasn't about to let it go, even though I wanted the hell out of him.

"Looks like I did," he said before kissing me. Oh, God. I sat up and wrapped my arms around him, tugging on his hair. His hands were tugging at my pants and he got them off without a problem. I bet he was happy I wore them and nothing else now. "Fuck, I want you." His voice was rough and hard and sent shivers up and down my body.

"You can take me," I promised, undoing his pants and pulling them and his boxers down as far as I could from my position on the table. He gripped me and tried to pull me toward him but I pulled away. First things first. "After you admit I won."

"Competitive little thing, aren't you?" Edward grinned at me.

"Yes. So if you want to win, admit that I won first." That was all he needed to do.

Edward yanked my shirt off and I crossed my arms in front of my breasts, blocking his view. "I suppose that you might have won due to interference," he admitted.

As if that was why I won? "I would have won anyway. You sank one measly ball!"

"That's because my two balls were giving me issues because you were practically naked. Technically you cheated first," he informed me haughtily.

He was in denial. "I didn't do anything. And I was perfectly well dressed."

"No, now you're perfectly dressed, or you will be once you lose the bra and let me see your beautiful breasts." He pouted adorably. "Please baby."

I took my bra off but kept my boobs covered for the time being. "Admit that I won."

"Can we call it a tie?" he asked hopefully.

Hell no, but we could both win soon enough. "No. We can tie when your cock's inside me, not before."

Edward's eyes crossed. "Okay, you won."

"No caveats. Not because I cheated, not because you made me miss, I just straight up kicked your ass." I wanted it all.

"Yes you did. Now let me fuck you." God he was sexy.

I lowered my arms. "Okay." I scooted to the edge of the pool table and he was inside of me a second later. He slammed in and out of me hard. It was awkward with his pants still half on but it felt incredibly good.

Edward pushed me flat against the table and I wrapped my legs around him as he fucked me harder and faster, lifting my hips off the table and driving into me over and over again. It was rough and hard and I could almost imagine us going at it in some dirty pool hall. It was wrong but I found that image so hot that it set me off. I gripped the table as best I could and lost it, coming hard around him. Edward kept right on fucking me, hard and focused, his eyes burning into me as his hips crashed into mine. He rubbed my clit and sent me over again, coming with me.

Holy shit. "Damn," I murmured when he pulled out of me and helped me to sit up on the table. "That was…"

"I know. Who knew you losing a game of pool would be so hot?" he asked with a cute grin.

I smacked him for that and he laughed and hugged me to him. "We both won."

We'd won so much more than just a game a pool. "The most important game."

* * *

****


	45. Higher Learning

Today was the day. The first time I'd be Ms. Swan, albeit a different Ms. Swan than any future students would get, thank you very much. I wasn't one of those freak teachers that thought doing a student was okay. Not unless said student was really a twenty-five year old sexy man. And even then, he'd have to be my man.

I crept out of bed, careful not to wake Edward as I pulled on a t-shirt and snuck into the room next door. My suitcase was already unzipped and I had what I needed on the top. I'd snagged a pair of his jeans and boxers yesterday, tucking them in with the rest of his outfit. Alice, Rose and I had had a raging debate over just what kind of student Edward should be. Rose was all about the bad boy, not surprisingly, seeing as that was her type to a T. Alice had wanted him to be nerdy and geeky like he was in high school and I'd been the tie breaker. All Edward's were beyond incredible, after all, but I'd decided that since I was the bad girl, he should be a sweet, innocent nerd. He could be my bad boy another time. The thought of that brought a smile to my face. Oh yeah, he needed to be.

I had to fight not to laugh when I looked at the t-shirt again. Alice was a god send. The instant I'd decided on nerd she'd had ThinkGeek open and their line of _Star Wars_ t-shirts pulled up. I knew he'd love the Death Star shirt and I wouldn't be remotely surprised if he wore it for real outside of role play. He was just that cute. My fingers itched to press the button so the light would light up and make the firing noise, but I didn't want to wake him. I set the shirt on top of the black jeans and blue suspenders. Yes, suspenders. What nerd was complete without them? Plus, I totally wanted to tug on them and drag my reluctant student to me. So sexy. The glasses were the pièce de résistance as far as I was concerned though. Thick black frames that would make those gorgeous green eyes of his look all the bigger. It was going to tough not to attack him the instant I laid eyes on him.

I crept back into the bedroom and stuck the outfit in the bathroom before tip-toeing over to Edward's side of the bed. He was so adorable when he slept, all messy hair and pouty lips and sexy bare chest. Crap, focus, Bella. I flipped on the alarm again and slipped the note I'd written yesterday onto the nightstand.

_Rise and shine, young Mr. Cullen. I'm afraid it's a school day, but at least it's Friday, so you have the weekend to look forward to. Let's see if we can send the school week out with a bang, why don't we? Your clothes are in the bathroom and school will be in session at eight AM sharp. Don't be late!_

It would end with a bang alright. I headed downstairs where my outfit for the day waited. I took a quick shower, not wetting my hair because I wanted it dry when I put it up. I slipped into my beige bra and panties purchased by Rose and then pulled on my skirt and a regular white blouse, unlike the one that I'd worn in the picture I sent him. I wanted to actually look like I might in the classroom, except for the thigh highs that I pulled on. I twisted my hair up in a bun and pinned it neatly. My glasses completed my own look and I smirked at myself in the mirror. Edward wasn't going to know what hit him.

I heard him coming downstairs so I ducked out of view in case he tried to sneak a peek. He didn't appear to though, because he was a good boy. No surprise there. I watched the clock anxiously, waiting for it to strike eight. I slipped on my heels, grabbed my prop books and marched down the hallway. I'd toyed with doing a real lesson plan, maybe teaching Huckleberry Finn or something but I liked Rose's idea better. Big shocker that was. We'd have to see what Edward thought about it.

"Good morning, class!" I called as I walked into the room. Edward's head turned toward me and his gorgeous eyes widened when he took me in. His Adam's apple bobbed in his throat as his eyes moved over my body. It took everything I had not to just tackle him to the floor and have my way with him. He was so adorably nerdy and sexy that I couldn't stand it. What had I done? The glasses made me want to bite him, the suspenders made me want to pull him to me so I could do the biting and the t-shirt made me smile. He was perfect.

I tried to act unaffected as I strolled over to my desk and put my books down. I caught sight of the apple sitting on my desk and bit back a smile. Of course my sweet boy had brought his teacher an apple. I'd have to reward him for that. His eyes were devouring me from where he sat and I saw his hands clench into fists. Good. He was struggling to behave just like I was. I wouldn't make him behave for long, thankfully.

I walked around the desk and leaned against it casually, as if I often was in this position. I smiled at my class, just like I would every morning I hoped. Edward's gaze had dropped to his lap, which was where my gaze wanted to go often. I got the compulsion there. Time to start, so I could get my virginal nerd alone and turn him into a man pronto.

"As you may know, today is a very special day." That surprised him. His eyes flew up to mine, a look of confusion on his face. Bad boy. He hadn't been paying attention to my lesson planning. "Instead of our normal lesson plan, I've been asked to talk to you all about something very important." I would die if I was ever asked to do this for real, but I was extremely excited to do it now. "Initially this was supposed to be covered in health class but budget cuts have dictated that we do things a little differently." Edward's eyes widened and he gulped. Ha! He knew what was coming the instant I said health class.

"So consider this Sex Ed 101." His expression was priceless, all stunned and excited and possibly a bit nervous. I smiled and held up a hand, figuring that a real class would explode with commentary when told such a thing. "Enough with the laughter and the jokes, please. I know most of you have been through this before, hopefully with your parents instead of your friends. And I'm not naïve enough to think some of you don't have hands on experience." Edward would have hands on experience very soon, of that I was sure.

Edward groaned and moved around where he sat. He was so fucking cute when he was trying to play nice. I moved away from the desk and stopped directly in front of him. His hands moved to the sides of his chair and he held on tight. I loved that he was struggling not to touch me already. I'd just have to reward him for showing such restraint.

"Who in here has a boyfriend or girlfriend?" I asked my non-existent class. My sweet nerd didn't raise his hand, as I hoped. I pretended to be assessing the class. "Wow, the whole class? Except for one or two of you." I let my gaze rest on Edward and he honest to goodness blushed. He was amazing! How the man did not have an Oscar yet was beyond me. He could actually blush when called for.

"How many of you are sexually active?" I wanted to laugh as I asked the question. No teacher would ever do such a thing, but this was my game and we were doing it my way. I was the predator luring in my sweet, innocent _Star Wars_ t-shirt wearing prey. Time to get rid of the interlopers and get him alone.

"Well, since it appears that all of you except for Mr. Cullen are experts, class dismissed." Edward's face was comical, he actually winced in surprise. "Have a good weekend, all. Mr. Cullen, please stay here." His lips twitched but he managed to keep his smile at bay. Poor little nerd, left alone with his teacher to learn Sex Ed all by himself. However would he manage? I loved that he was all of a sudden looking anywhere but at me.

"Edward," I said softly. "Would you please look at me?" I needed to feel out my student before I felt him up. His eyes made a slow move up my body and I had to fight not to kiss him. He pushed his glasses further up his nose, which was just the cutest thing ever. "So you have no sexual experience at all?"

He shook his head and I fought not to smile. The day this god of a man was a virgin. "How can that be?" I asked as I stroked my fingers through his hair. He jumped slightly and gripped the edge of his seat again.

"I, uh, nobody likes me like that," he stammered, still avoiding my eyes. He was incredible. I almost believed him as a little nerd that nobody noticed. How anybody couldn't see how gorgeous he was baffled me.

I moved my hand down his face, cupping his chin and tilting his gaze to mine. "That just isn't true. You're a very handsome young man." Beyond handsome, really. He tried to shake his head but I held firm. "Trust me, Edward." I had to get away before I jumped him, ending the scene before it started. I walked back to my desk and sat down, folding my hands on the desk. I watched him intently. He kept looking away from me and shifting nervously in his seat. He was fantastic at this. I wanted to complement him but I'd save that for later.

"Tell me, Mr. Cullen, you have no experience whatsoever?" He shook his head quickly. I loved that he was using few words. It made him seem all the shyer. "You've never kissed a girl?"

"Uh, well." He looked nervous.

Oh really? "So you have kissed a girl?"

He shrugged. "Sort of."

"What does sort of mean, Mr. Cullen? Either you have or you haven't." Yeah, it bugged me. I wanted my virgin boy to be a virgin in every way. I wanted to be his first kiss, damn it.

"I kissed Molly Sanders in the second grade when we played kissing tag," he spat the words out, in a rush like he was embarrassed by them. It was cute as hell. And I would take a silly playground kiss years and years ago over him kissing a fellow student recently. That was fine.

"Oh." I couldn't hide my relief. "And nothing since then?" Edward shook his head. "Okayyyyy," I murmured, pretending to think about what he'd told me. "Do you know about sex, Edward?" I dropped my voice, making it breathier, more seductive. "Do you know how everything works?"

"Um, yes?" he answer asked, it was a weird combination of both. I flipped open a button my blouse as he avoided my eyes.

"How do you know?" I asked, leaning forward a little. He noticed. His eyes darkened and his breath hitched. I loved it.

"I've, uh, seen movies before," he replied. Awesome. I could work with porn. Thank you, Rose, for that introduction into the world of adult films.

"Movies? Pornographic movies?" I asked, trying to sound disapproving. It was difficult because I really wanted to watch one with him and act it out ourselves.

"They're not mine!" He was quick to assure me, sounding scared. "My brother owns some."

"And he shared them with you?" I inquired.

Edward shifted in his seat again. "Yes. He thought I should know how it goes, when the time came." God bless Emmett if it was true. My man had learned and learned very well. I had zero complaints.

"Did you like what you saw on those videos, Edward?" And now I was letting the inner minx come out to play, my voice dripping with sex.

"Um, yes, Ms. Swan?" God, he was good. His voice actually raised an octave. His gaze wandered and I flipped open another button on my blouse.

"Do you feel that it taught you all you needed to know?" His eyes flew back to me and he gulped when they landed on my chest. I loved it.

"What?" he managed, keeping his eyes on the skin I was slowly revealing.

"Do you think that you learned everything you need to know from the porn you watched, or would you like a little of my expertise?" Like I didn't know the answer to that one.

Edward looked conflicted. "I…I don't know." So shy, so perfect.

Time for a little hands on learning, finally. "Hmm, well why don't we find out? Stand up and come over here, Mr. Cullen."

He stood slowly and took his time walking up to me. He was so in character. He stopped in front of my desk, keeping it in between us. I stayed perfectly still and let him look down my shirt. Just a little taste of what was to come for sweet, innocent Edward.

"Videos can teach you lots of things. They can help with learning to read or learning a language or how to build something, or exercise, but do you honestly think they can teach you how to touch someone?" I inquired. They could, sort of, but it wasn't the same of course.

He kept his gaze on my breasts, looking fascinated. "I guess not?" he asked, sounding unsure.

I laughed and stood up, leaning across the desk, stopping very close to his gorgeous face. With my glasses on, it was almost too much perfection for my eyes to handle. But I had a role to play. "Do you remember what it felt like to kiss Molly all those years ago?"

He shook his head. "Not really. It was over very quickly." I wondered if she was a real girl. Of course he had a first kiss in his past just like I did. I still disliked this Molly girl.

"And do you think you learn how to kiss from watching people kiss on TV?"

He shrugged his broad shoulders. "It's just lips on lips, right?" he asked.

Sweet Edward, it's so much more and we both know you know it. "The fact that you think so tells me that you need some help. Do you want me to help you, Edward?"

Edward gulped audibly but nodded. "Yes, Ms. Swan."

Here we go. I shot him my sexiest smile. "Your kiss with Molly, I'm guessing it was a little peck, like this?" I brushed my lips against his and pulled back quickly. He looked stunned. It was so cute. "Was it like that, Edward?"

He nodded. "Yes, except it was wetter, our lips kind of mashed together."

I loved it. "There's nothing wrong with a wet kiss, but we'll get to that in a moment." Practice makes perfect. "Let's try a regular kiss again." I kissed him again, my mouth still closed, but I was firmer and lingered longer before pulling away, which was very difficult because I wanted to kiss Edward pretty much all the time. "Very good, Edward. That was better than your kiss with Molly, wasn't it?"

"Yes," he agreed, no hesitance in his tone this time.

I stroked his cheek. "Did you like it?"

"Of course," he responded. His cheeks were a bit pink. It was getting hotter in here to be sure.

"Do you want more, Edward?" As if I had to ask.

"Yes, Ms. Swan." I kissed him again, sucking his lower lip into my mouth and biting it a little. Edward gave me a sexy little moan that nearly had me coming undone. I had to focus.

"How was that, Mr. Cullen?" I asked when I released him. I smiled at him, waiting for a response, encouraging him.

"It was good," was all he said.

"Yes it was." I licked my lip and saw his fists clench again. "Tell me, Edward, are you hard?" Nothing like putting it out there. And I knew he was. My boy was easy like that.

"Am I what?" he stuttered a little. Amazing actor. Oscar, for real. I should submit this to the voters, except I wasn't about to share my sexy nerd with them. But still, he deserved one. I could truly believe he was a virginal school boy right now.

I smiled encouragingly. "Is your penis hard?" Penis. Worst word ever, but more likely for a teacher to use when describing anatomy than rock hard cock unfortunately. "Are you sexually aroused?"

"I…yes?" His voice was higher pitched again. So awesome.

"Tell me, Edward, have you ever masturbated?" I smiled, thinking of my lotion sitting on his bedside table.

He looked like he wanted to die but didn't hesitate to answer. "Yes."

"So, you know how you like to be touched?" I asked, getting up and moving around my desk, cornering him. I pushed him back so that he sat on the edge, leaning the way I had been. Edward nodded, watching me, his eyes looking so huge behind those big black frames. They made him look more innocent, too. He was irresistible and I wasn't going to resist him any longer.

"That's very good." I put my hand on his leg, halfway up toward his thigh. "Now, about those wet kisses." Finally, I grabbed a hold of his left suspender with my free hand and yanked him to me. I pressed my lips to his and he responded instantly, opening his mouth to mine, his tongue moving with mine, his more tentative, as if it was his first French kiss. Perfect. I let him go and stroked his leg with my thumb. "That was very good, Edward. You may be inexperienced but you kiss very well." Such an understatement.

"Thank you, Ms. Swan." A shiver went through me as he called me Ms. Swan again. It was hot as hell.

"Is there anything more you'd like to learn?" I stroked my hand higher, letting my fingers land along his inner thigh, very close to where they wanted to be but not quite touching.

"I don't know?" he asked, looking tortured, like he wanted to ask for more but didn't know how. So cute.

"Don't you want to know what it feels like to do other things, things you saw in those movies?" I let myself touch him then, just a quick brush of fingers over his cock. Edward moaned and arched his hips toward me. Yes, I had him! "Is that a yes?"

"Hell yes," he grunted as I gripped him through his jeans.

"Language, Mr. Cullen!" I lightly patted his cock and his eyes looked like they were about to fall out of his head. Like I didn't love it when he cussed. But I had to pretend to have some morals, even as I seduced my innocent student.

"Sorry, Ms. Swan," he responded. "I just got excited." I just bet you did, Edward. I can feel how excited you are.

"When you watch those movies, do you ever want to touch the women you see on the screen?" I inquired, running my fingers up his zipper.

"Yes," he said softly, looking embarrassed again.

"What would you like to touch, Edward?" My tone told him he could touch me any and everywhere.

"I don't know." Sure he didn't. I wanted to laugh but managed not to. He looked down at his lap and I unbuttoned another button on my blouse quickly.

"You don't know or you don't want to say?"

"Your chest," he responded.

"My chest?" I laughed softly. "You mean my breasts?" He nodded, his eyes looking exactly where he wanted to touch me. "Well, why don't you?" I took his hand and put it on my left breast. He let out his sexy moan and squeezed my chest none too lightly. I smiled. He really was pretending to be inexperienced. "Like this." I placed my hand over his and showed him how I liked to be touched, squeezing gently. Together we nudged the cup of my bra down. I pulled Edward's fingers to my nipple, showing him what to do. Edward took over and I let myself enjoy it as his left hand joined his right and he worked both my breasts.

"Perfect, Edward. Do you want to do more than touch them?"

"Yes." His voice was rough with desire. Not so tentative anymore was he?

"Do you want to taste me, Edward? Do you want to suck on my nipple?" Please do.

"God, yes." No hesitation whatsoever now.

I smiled as I pulled my blouse of out of my skirt, unbuttoning it the rest of the way and opening it for him. "Take me into your mouth, Edward." This was so hot. I loved instructing him on where to touch, where to taste. He bent his head to my chest and sucked my left nipple into his mouth. He didn't do anymore than that, awaiting instruction like the good boy that he was. "Yes, that's good, Edward. Move your tongue over it." He did so, his hot, wet tongue moving over my puckered flesh. It felt amazing. "Mmm, perfect." I buried my hands in his hair, holding him to me, guiding him like the teacher that I was supposed to be. "Now bite, gently." He did and my eyes crossed. Fuck. So good.

"That feels really good, Edward. Your mouth is very talented." He drove me wild. He always did. He continued to swirl my nipple as I gripped his waistband. "Do you want me to touch you too, Edward?"

He moved back to answer. "Yes, please, Ms. Swan."

Well, since he said please. I unzipped his jeans before grabbing both suspenders to pull him off the desk, just like I'd imagined since Alice had come up with the idea of him wearing them. I unhooked them and dropped them on the floor before pulling down his jeans and boxers. Edward kicked his shoes off and I took his clothes the rest of the way off, leaving him in his t-shirt. I focused on his hard, very ready cock.

"My, my, you're just full of surprises, Mr. Cullen."

"I am?" He sounded confused.

"Who knew you were packing that underneath your clothes?" I stroked him as he grunted. "Is this how you touch yourself?" I made a fist around him and started pumping him up and down.

"Yeah," he barely replied, teeth clenched. He was close to coming, I could tell. "That feels too good, Ms. Swan. I can't…" I released him, because the lesson was not over. I wanted my lips around him when he came.

"Have you ever wanted a blow job, Edward?" He responded with an eager nod. "Do you want one now?"

"Yes, please, Ms. Swan." He was practically begging. I got to my knees in front of him and licked the head of his cock. "Fuck!" he shouted.

"Mr. Cullen, you continue to surprise me! Such bad language. And here I thought you were a good boy." So very good. I was going to let the language slide this one, because it was hot.

"I'm good," he managed as I sucked him into my mouth, curling my tongue up against him. I hummed and he yelped, his hands finding my hair, plucking impatiently at the pins that held my bun in place. My hair tumbled down around us as I bobbed, taking him as far into my throat as I could. "Love your hair. So sexy," he murmured.

He was so cute that I had to stop and smile at him. He pulled my glasses off and set them to the side. Since my mouth was free… "Do you want to come in my mouth, Edward?"

His face was priceless; he looked so thrilled at the suggestion. "Yes, I'd like that."

I laughed. "I bet you would." I sucked him into my mouth again and worked him for all I was worth. Edward's hands stayed in my hair, stroking me lightly as I sucked on his hard cock. I rolled his balls in my hand and he let out a long, deep moan.

"Ms. Swan, I'm going to…" Yeah, he was. I hummed around him again and he came, filling my mouth with his come. I swallowed several times, taking all of him. I released him and smiled as he held out a hand to help me up. Such a polite student. "Thank you."

I grinned at him, thanking me for giving him a blow job. "You're very welcome, Edward. I think you're well on your way to becoming my star pupil."

He eyed me bashfully. "How do I become your star pupil?"

"Hmm, you could kiss me again," I offered. For starters. "Show me what you've learned." He kissed me just as I'd kissed him, mouth closed, and then he opened and sucked on my bottom lip before licking it and sliding into my mouth. I ran my fingers through his hair and kissed him back. It was perfect. My student had learned well and my Edward could kiss like nobody else.

"That was really, really good. You get an A for kissing," I told him when we broke apart.

He smiled, looking proud. "You also showed me how to touch your chest."

"So I did." His hands were on my nipples then, tweaking them gently. "And I taught you how to taste them," I reminded him. He did as I wished, sucking on my nipple, dragging his tongue over it and making me moan and shudder. I held him to me, loving the way his tongue felt, wet and rough and skillful. "Very, very good, Edward. Another A."

He smiled at me, his glasses slipping down his nose again. He was so gorgeous. I pushed them back for him. "Do you want to learn anything else, or do you feel that you're on par with your classmates now?"

He looked eager. "I like learning new things." So fucking cute.

"Well, it's my job to teach you. What more would you like to learn?" I asked, encouraging him to verbalize some of his wants now. I'd guided him plenty.

He looked so bashful, but he answered me. "I want to know what you feel like."

Did he think that was enough? "What do you mean?"

"I want to touch your, your…" he stopped talking and just pointed at my crotch. "Down there." How cute was it that my dirty talking boy refused to say pussy now?

"My pussy, Edward. You want to know what my pussy feels like?" He gasped at my use of the word and I noticed that he was starting to stir again. Thank God. I needed him inside me and soon.

"Yes."

He wasn't getting away with that. "Say it, Edward. If you want to touch it, you need to say the word."

"Pussy," he whispered. Gah! I just wanted to eat him up.

"Help me take my skirt off." I turned my hips and showed him my zipper. He pulled it down and his fingers brushed over my thigh as he revealed more and more skin. I couldn't stop the gasp from escaping me. "Very good initiative, Mr. Cullen. I'm impressed. Take it off, now." I felt all dommeish, if that was even a word. It was so hot telling him what to do like this. Not that I wanted to do it often, I liked my take charge Edward. But this was fun. He pulled my skirt down and I kicked it off, leaving my shoes on. I leaned against the desk. My turn. "Go ahead and touch me."

His fingers stroked over my right thigh as he moved toward my pussy, stroking me through my underwear. God, I wanted to come so bad, but I needed to hold off. His fingers were a bit more tentative than usual but damn it felt good. "Do you like that, Edward?"

"Yes. It feels amazing." He sounded awed, as if it was his first time.

"Slide your fingers underneath the material and really touch me." His eyes were dark with desire behind his lenses. His fingers slid under my panties and he rubbed my clit. So good. "How does that feel?" I asked, trying to focus on him and not on how much I wanted him to fuck me immediately.

"So good. So wet and soft," he answered.

I pressed myself against him. "Slide your finger inside me and tell me how that feels."

His finger entered me. God yes. I moaned softly as he slid it in and out. "Hot, very hot. It feels so good."

"Mmm, do you like that, Edward? Do you want to feel more?" Please feel more.

"Very much." So agreeable. Such a perfect student.

"Take my panties off." He didn't hesitate at all. They were down and off before I could blink. I smiled at his eagerness and spread my legs wide for him. I had to show him, after all. The way he looked at me made me melt. I felt so beautiful. "Touch me like this." I rubbed my clit the way I liked and Edward moaned as he watched me. I touched myself for a few moments before I pushed two fingers inside me. "Can you do that, Edward?" Like he wasn't a master at it.

"Yes." I moved my hand away and Edward took his turn, touching me, rubbing small circles over my clit before he slid two fingers inside me. God that felt good. He groaned as he slowly moved in and out of me.

"You like that, don't you?" I asked, barely finding my voice. I was going to come soon.

"So much." His fingers moved faster in and out of me. I wanted more, though.

"Do you want to learn something else, Edward?"

"God, yes."

So eager. I loved it. "Did you like it when I put my mouth on you?"

His eyes were wild. "More than anything."

"Why don't you do the same for me?" Please, please, do the same for me. Taste me.

He made a cute little face, looking so unsure. "You'd like that?"

"Very much, Edward. It would make feel as good as I made you feel." Do it, damn it.

"Will I like it?" he asked.

Well, let's just see, why don't we? I ran my fingers over my clit again and held them out to him, smiling seductively. "Why don't you take a taste and see?"

Edward moaned, leaning forward to suck my fingers into his hot mouth. His were still moving inside me and I was so close to coming I could die. His tongue moved skillfully over my fingers and I wanted it doing the same thing on my clit. "What do you think, Edward?" How I managed to get the words out when he was sucking on me and fucking me with his fingers was beyond me.

He released my fingers and smiled. "I think I like it, Ms. Swan."

"Well, why don't you give it a try then?" Please, I will break character and beg if I can't have your talented tongue on me.

He fell to his knees in front of me and I spread my legs wider. He hesitated so I pulled him toward me. "Just lick me right there, where you were touching me." He let his tongue move softly over me, still acting unsure. I moaned and he licked me again, stronger this time. "Perfect, just like that. You can do the circles, like you were doing with your fingers." My perfect student did as he was told. "And you could put your fingers back inside me. Do you feel how wet I am because of you, Edward?" He nodded, still licking me as his fingers slid inside me "Oooh, that feels good." It was too much.

"Suck my clit into your mouth, Edward," I ordered. I was too close. I needed more. He did as I asked and hummed just like I'd hummed around his cock. Fuck. I called his name. So close. "Yes, do that again and curl your fingers inside me."

He hummed again and followed directions perfectly, curling his fingers inside me, hitting me just where I wanted. I lost it, holding his head to my pussy as I came apart around him. He continued to lick and suck on me as I fought to focus again. "That was perfect, Edward. You get an A for oral abilities." And then some.

He laughed quietly as he stood. "I don't usually do well with speeches."

I'd happily work on his oral skills any day. "Just let your tongue do the talking, Mr. Cullen. You'll get an A every time." A slow smile spread across his handsome face. "You have just one more thing to learn before you're even more advanced than your classmates. Do you know what that is, Mr. Cullen?"

He looked incredibly excited. "Sex?" he asked, his voice so high and squeaky I nearly died.

"Yes. You liked how it felt with your fingers inside me, didn't you?" He nodded eagerly. "Don't you think it would feel even better with your cock inside me?" I need you, so much.

"I think it would," was his response.

I kissed him then, because it had been too long. We broke apart, both breathing heavily. "Hold on to my thighs," I instructed. He did so, pulling me to him. "That's right; you know what to do now, don't you? Line your cock up and push it inside me." Take me now, Edward.

He entered me slowly, moaning as his head pushed into me. He continued and I encouraged him. "That's right. All the way in," I guided him. "How does that feel?"

"So good," he moaned. Understatement of the century. There was nothing better than Edward filling me.

"Now move in and out of me, Edward, take your time." I wanted him to go fast and fuck me hard now, every nerve in my body was screaming for it, but I was trying to portray a patient teacher. Edward's face was puckered in frustration. "Do you like that? Do you want to go faster?"

"Yes, faster," he grunted. Thank God. I lifted my hips and he slid deeper into me.

"Fuck me faster then, Edward. Get that A+." His smile was feral as his hips began to move faster, pushing me hard into the desk. I wrapped my legs around him, taking him deeper into me. "Touch my clit," I demanded. He complied, my perfect student, showing me exactly what he'd learned. "Yes, Edward, yes!" I held on to his shoulders tightly and he flicked my clit and I was lost again, coming around him. Edward moaned and took his own release, filling me.

When I could manage it, I unhooked my legs and smiled at him. "I'd say that you're no longer behind your classmates anymore, Edward."

"No, I guess not. Thank you for teaching me, Ms. Swan."

I kissed him softly. "Anytime."

And just like that, my Edward was back, grinning at me. "Fuck, baby, do you know how crazy you made me?"

I giggled and hugged him, letting me be myself again. "Do you know how fucking hot you are in glasses? God help me if you ever have to wear them in a movie." I would attack him, no doubt about it.

He smiled and carried me over to the office chair, sitting down and holding me to him. "I could say the same about you, Ms. Swan. Those glasses, that hair, that outfit and those fuck me shoes? You better never wear this outfit to teach a class. You should wear really big dresses and sweaters."

He was too cute. I leaned my head against his shoulder. "I don't think you have to worry about me repeating this lesson for anybody else."

"Better not, baby. I'll die if you ever tell me you have to teach Sex Ed." His voice had an edge at the very idea.

Like he'd be alone? I laughed and kissed his neck. "I'd die if I had to teach Sex Ed, because I'd remember this and talking about ovaries and fallopian tubes would totally ruin my buzz."

His laughter joined mine and his lips brushed over my hair. "Thanks for eclipsing my sexy teacher fantasy by a mile. You always improve upon them."

"That's my job." If only.

"Where'd you get the shirt?" he asked. I knew it!

"ThinkGeek. You can thank Alice for finding it. She came up with your nerd boy outfit."

"I love Alice." His voice was fervent as he told me so. I giggled helplessly. I knew he'd react that way. He moved me around so I could see his face and he grinned at me. "But I love you more."

"Damn right." I kissed him and relaxed into his chest. "I love you the most."

He chuckled. "Are we going to have a contest over that?"

Nah, because once again, we both won. "I'd say it's another tie, wouldn't you?"

"I love tying with you." His voice was warm and loving.

"Me too. Thanks for my A+."

As if I could give him anything else. "Thank you for your A+ work. You can work on some extra credit later."

He grinned at me. "How do you improve upon an A+?"

I had some ideas. I always had ideas. "I guess you'll just have to wait and see."

"I can't wait, baby." Nor could I. We had so much great stuff ahead of us, part of me wanted to rush ahead into the future but another part wanted to stay and savor what I did have with him. I'd never take any of it for granted, that was for sure.

* * *


	46. Never Say Goodbye

He was so damned beautiful it took my breath away. I'd been watching him sleep like some kind of creeper for the last hour, just trying to memorize every line of his face, every little movement of his lashes and his lips and each sound he made. Logically I knew that I would see him again fairly soon, but after a solid week waking up in his arms, it was going to be hard to go back to my cold, lonely bed.

His eyes opened and he blinked a few times, the cloudy green sharpening as he woke up and took me in. He smiled and I smiled back, even though I knew the smile didn't reach my eyes. He didn't say anything, he just kissed me and then we went at each other like crazy people, desperate for one more time together before we left. Neither of us acknowledged that it was our last time here; we just got out of bed, cleaned up and started packing. We hadn't wanted to do it yesterday, because then we'd have to acknowledge that our time was up.

I finished packing up my toiletries and made my way downstairs to where Edward was standing by the front door, looking lost in thought. "What are you thinking?" I asked as I placed my bag with all the rest of them. We were officially ready to go. I hated it.

He wrapped his arms around me and I snuggled into his chest, breathing him in. "I was just thinking that I don't want anybody else to use this place. It feels like ours now."

God, were we on the same page or what? I tried to laugh but it came out a strangled cry. His arms tightened around me. "I know," I agreed.

His fingers were under my chin, guiding me gently to look up at him. I tried to blink the tears that were ready to spill away. I didn't want to make this any harder than it was. Edward looked upset. "I'll buy it for us, if you want," he suggested.

How cute was he? I had to laugh even as the tears started to fall. "I don't know that they'll sell you one cabin, Edward. And anyway, it's not the place so much, although it's great. I'll just miss being with you alone like this." So much.

Edward brushed at my tears gently. "I know. I hate to go back to the real world, but it's only for a few weeks and then we'll have all summer." He sounded like he was trying to convince himself, but I appreciated it.

I tried to smile for him. "Yeah. I can't wait."

"Me either." His lips brushed mine and then he smiled that gorgeous smile of his. "Tell you what, even if I can't buy this place, I will get us someplace that we can go to shut the world away just like we did here. We'll go at least once a year, more when we can swing it. Okay?"

How much did I love that he was planning so far ahead? He was so sure of us that it made me sure of us as well. "I'd love that."

"Think about where you want it to be. Mountains like here? A private beach? In the middle of the woods? Anywhere you like."

I giggled because I'd go anywhere with the man. You could plop me in a frozen tundra or a burning desert and I'd accept it with a smile. "I'll take anywhere with you, even a hut in the middle of the desert."

He laughed as he pushed my hair away from my face. "That might be too hot for us, baby. I'd rather generate our own heat."

Oh yeah. Frozen tundra it is. "Good point." I squeezed his waist. "Thank you." For this place, for being you and for loving me.

"You don't have anything to thank me for, love. I'm being selfish, just wanting you to myself."

As if the man had a selfish bone in his body. "That's never selfish. And I'm thanking you for all of this; for the greatest week of my life and the promise of even better things to come. I still don't know how I got so lucky."

His smile illuminated his whole face. "I'm feeling pretty lucky myself these days."

I was the lucky one. "Except at pool," I reminded him. I laughed as he tickled me. I wanted to leave things on a slightly brighter note. This place was full of happy memories for me and we needed to think about that, not the leaving part.

"I don't know, I think I got pretty damn lucky at the pool table." His smile was positively feral. I wanted to jump him again. There wasn't time, but damn I wished there was.

"We got pretty damn lucky everywhere in this place," I pointed out. Time be damned, maybe we could just break in that pool table again. I was about to suggest it when I heard the unmistakable sound of Emmett and Rose arguing. Some things apparently never changed. I gave Edward a sad smile. I should have woken him up earlier so we would have more time. I opened the door to let in the griping twosome.

"Rosie, it's my name on the form so I have to be the one to drive it," Emmett informed Rose. That just got him an eye roll and his arm shoved off her shoulders.

"It's not your name. You used the name Peter Venkman," she answered snippily. "I can drive just as well as you can." Emmett foolishly snorted and Rose leveled him with a look. "I can. Do you doubt my skills?"

"Hell no, baby, I've experienced your skills first hand and I'm all about them." He sounded like he was about to be all about them right in front of us so I had to interrupt.

"Good Lord," I whispered to Edward, catching their attention.

Emmett grinned widely. "Hey, lovebirds! Are you ready to go?" he asked, smacking Edward on the arm before he picked me up and whirled me around. I hugged him, both because I loved his cheerful demeanor and because I was afraid he might drop me on my ass. Better to hold on tight.

"Hey. Your brother's an idiot," Rose greeted Edward.

"I know," he responded, picking up a few bags as Emmett set me down.

"You're the one in love with me, so what does that make you?" Emmett asked Rose, looking quite put out.

"A masochist," she decided, picking up a bag of leftover groceries.

"Ha, I think I'm the masochist." Emmett looked positively thrilled. "My ass still hurts." Holy shit.

Rose smacked Emmett on his sore ass and he shouted. "You asked for it," she informed him.

Edward looked at me. "I don't want to know." I didn't blame him. I had a feeling I knew and it wasn't a pretty thought.

"No, you don't," I agreed.

Emmett grinned and started shouldering bags. "I trust you had a good week?"

There weren't words for how beyond good it was. "The best," I answered, taking Edward's hand. We both looked back inside the cabin and he squeezed my fingers as we stepped out and shut the door, locking it.

"I bet our week was better than yours," Emmett bragged as he started loading the car.

Neither one of us felt the need to respond to that. We just smiled at each other. It wasn't a competition; it was just the best week of our lives.

"Come on, Emmett, let me drive," Rose begged. Emmett just smiled and got into the driver's seat, leaving Rose to get in on her own. Edward shook his head and held the door open for me. I giggled as I got inside and heard Rose berating Emmett. "Bastard. Did you see your brother hold the door for Bella? Why can't you do that?"

"Because Bella wouldn't use that opportunity to get into the driver's seat like you would, baby. I know how you operate." He did have a point there. Rose was crafty.

She glared and crossed her arms. Emmett ignored her as he started up the car. "Ready to go back to school?" Ha. I made some noise and Rose did the same. Edward just tightened his arm around me. Emmett headed out and navigated to the lodge to go check out. "Keys?" he asked. Edward gave them to him and he headed toward the building. Rose was walking with him but she dawdled and when he continued inside she ran back to the car and got into the driver's seat. I laughed as Emmett glared but continued on inside to check out.

"Why do you care who drives?" I asked, because really, I was just glad that Edward was in the back holding me.

"He thinks he's better at it than I am," she replied, sounding annoyed.

That was silly. "But he's a stunt driver. He is better," I pointed out.

"So? I could be a stunt driver if I wanted."

I heard the determination in her tone. "Please do not haul ass home to prove yourself."

Edward nodded. "Yeah. We're in no hurry to get back." My sweet boy. I squeezed his knee, letting him know we were on the same page.

Rose sighed. "I know. Fucking school. I wish we could just head to Europe with you now." All of a sudden her devious smile bloomed. "How pissed would my parents be if I dropped out with five weeks left?"

"No, Rose." Like hell I was going to let her do that, even if I sort of wanted to myself. Practical me was not that stupid though.

Rose frowned. "I know, I know, but it's a fun thought."

"Well, can it because my dad would hunt us both down if we did something like that. Five weeks isn't that long." I sounded like I was trying to convince myself as Edward kissed the top of my head.

"I know. I don't even know why I'll miss the big lug so damn much anyway. He drives me crazy, but in the best way," Rose muttered. She smiled when Emmett came down the stairs. "Don't tell him I said that." She was looking at Edward in the rear view mirror and he smiled and gave her a nod.

Emmett got in the passenger side, scowling. "Fine, Rosie, you can drive."

"I don't believe I asked this time," she announced, putting the car in gear and starting our journey back to school.

"I'm just letting you be in charge," he informed her.

Rose laughed. "In case you hadn't noticed, I've been in charge all week." Emmett was grinning like a loon at that reminder.

"That's because they were your handcuffs. When we use mine…" Edward smacked him and Rose and I giggled like mad.

"What?" Emmett asked, turning to glare at my Edward.

"There are some things we don't need to know."

"Please, like these two aren't going to talk?" He gestured between us and I had to admit he had a point, although I was keeping the good stuff to myself. "By the way, Bella, thank you for letting Rose use your Halloween costume. It was much appreciated."

I had a feeling he'd like that, with his cop fetish and all. "You're welcome and she can keep it. I doubt I'd want it back now." Edward looked at me in confusion. "They forced me to wear it a couple of years ago."

"And you won sexiest costume," Rose pointed out, smiling proudly.

Edward debated with himself for a moment but his curiosity won out. "What was it?"

I laughed. "It was a sexy cop uniform. Let's just say my father would have had a conniption and had me arrested for real if he'd ever seen it."

"She put my sexy Indian girl to shame, even though I was wearing fewer clothes," Rose recalled. "I think it had to do with the handcuffs and the baton and those fishnets." Edward whimpered and I giggled at the obvious bulge in his jeans.

"I can always get another one," I offered. My mind immediately flashed to Edward handcuffed to a bed and I was having my own arousal problems.

"Yes, please." His voice sounded desperate.

"I didn't know you had a thing for handcuffs, Edward." Please could we go back to the cabin for a few hours?

"I have a thing for you, Bella, in any and all forms," he told me. I had to kiss him for that. Rose and Emmett were both laughing.

"See, I told you they'd still have that sexual buzz about them," Rose sounded triumphant. "You owe me fifty bucks."

"I thought they'd chill out after nine straight days of screwing," Emmett complained, but he got out his wallet and put a fifty in her hand.

"Whatever, you'd be naked in ten seconds if I told you I wanted you right now," Rose challenged. Ha, I had no doubt that was true.

"True. Pull over," he ordered.

"Hell no!" Edward and I yelled at the same time.

"Damn it," he grumbled. Rose just laughed and ignored him. The car bounced over some rocks in the road and Emmett groaned. "That hurts, Rosie."

"It's your own fault. You should have known better than to discuss another woman when you were at my mercy," she responded, sounding annoyed again.

"I didn't think it'd turn you into Mommy Dearest," he complained.

"I didn't use a coat hanger," she pointed out.

Holy crap, she really is a dominatrix. I muttered it and Edward heard and made a funny noise, shaking his head quickly.

"No, but you did…" Emmett started, only to be cut off by my boyfriend.

"No, no, no. I don't want to know and I swear to God if you finish that sentence I'm going to tell Mom you're some kind of sex freak."

Emmett glared back at Edward. "Hey, you never know what might be going on behind closed doors with Mom and Dad. We already know she sexts him." Emmett laughed as Edward made a face full of disgust. "I'm just saying, Mom and Rosie are cut from the same cloth."

"That is your mother you're talking about," Edward replied.

Suddenly Emmett didn't look so mirthful. "True. Forget I said that." These two cracked me up. They must have been so much fun growing up.

"Hey, parents like to screw, too. Well, except for mine. There's no way that my frigid mother rocks my father's world. That's what mistresses are for." Oh, Rose. Her family situation was so fucked up.

"Rosie." Emmett put his big hand on the back of her neck and rubbed gently.

She sighed. "I'm fine, Emmett. You two are very lucky you have parents that love each other like that and I guess I just had a moment. I'm good."

Edward cleared his throat. "I'm told that I have you to thank for Bella's shopping spree before the trip. I could not be more grateful. Name it and it's yours."

That was what it took to bring back the Rose I knew and loved. She laughed. "So many things. A Bugatti so I can blow your brother's Venom out of the water? A tasteful diamond necklace? A walk on in your next film?" She then waved a hand, dismissing it all. "You're taking me to Europe this summer, so consider us even."

It was going to be amazing. I smiled at the thought of me and Rose and hopefully Alice exploring Berlin and hopefully other places as well.

Edward smiled at me. "That is for purely selfish reasons, I can assure you. I want Bella to have a good time when I'm working and I know you and Alice can keep her company."

"We're going to bring The Continent to its knees!" Rose vowed. "Bella, we have to help Alice find a man this summer."

I wasn't sure how receptive to that Alice would be. Like it or not, she'd found her man. "I think she's already found the one she wants."

Rose snorted. "So? She can have a little fun while Jasper ages like a fine wine."

Emmett smiled gleefully. "She really likes that guy, doesn't she?"

"Yes. And don't you make fun of her for it." I wagged a finger at him. "She was dating a giant douche until he came along."

"Dating wasn't even the word for it. She was fucking him but not getting anything else but a few orgasms out of the deal." Rose thought about her statement. "Not that orgasms are a bad thing."

"I'll say!" And I'd never had better ones than I had with the man next to me. Edward laughed and kissed my temple.

"Well, unlike us, Alice isn't having any these days. She's allowed a little fun before Junior comes and sweeps her off her feet. And one of us needs to hook with a hot European." Rose gave Emmett a grin. "If Alice won't do it, I'll have to take one for the team."

"Not even funny, Rosie. Just remember I won't be as busy as Mr. Movie Star back there so I just might turn up wherever you are," he warned.

"I already hooked up with an Englishman." Memories of it made me shiver. Edward's accent was amazing.

Edward laughed loudly and kissed me. "I can insure that you land every nationality in Europe and beyond baby. Just name it."

Dear Lord, it was too much to ponder. Irish? French? Spanish? "So many possibilities."

"Damn it, Emmett, why didn't you get any of your brothers' acting skills?" Rose complained.

"Because I got the looks, the smarts, and the hot body. I had to leave something for him," Emmett responded. As if my man didn't have it all. I scoffed.

Rose snorted. "You keep on telling yourself that."

"I didn't hear any complaints." Emmett gave her a challenging grin.

"You confused me with all your love talk. I was in a sex haze. It's clearing up now." Rose cracked me up. I was grateful we had them to make the ride back to reality more bearable.

"Never, baby." Emmett grinned at her. "You're stuck with me."

"So it seems." She didn't sound at all unhappy about it either. I was thrilled that my friend, who was a lot lonelier than she'd ever even let me see, seemed to have found her match.

I smiled as I leaned into Edward. "Is it always going to be like this?"

Edward's thumb stroked my cheek. "I think it will."

"Good. Life's going to be lots of fun." How perfect would it be to have my best friend become my sister-in-law like he promised?

He laughed softly. "Yes, it is."

Xoxoxoxox

"Hi, honey, we're home!" Rose shouted as we all entered our apartment. We didn't get far before an Alice yell sounded and she came rushing out of her bedroom, throwing her arms around me and Rose.

"I think they missed each other," Emmett observed.

"Oh my God, I missed you so much! Bella, you were utter fail. Did you play _Words_ once while you were gone?" she lectured.

Oops. "I'm sorry! I didn't even think about it."

Alice laughed as she let us go. She could hug the life out of a person. "I know, you had better things to do. Or a better person." She was hugging Edward then and he let out a strangled laugh. "I can see you took good care of her while she was gone. Way to go," she told me him. She released him and faced Emmett. "You don't get a hug."

He smiled at that. "I know. I'm too much man for you. You like 'em smaller." His grin turned mischievous. "And younger."

"Fuck off," Alice replied, her words changing to a yell as Emmett picked her up and carried her into the living room."

"You know you missed me. Admit it," he demanded.

"No!" she protested, refusing to back down as he held her upside down over the couch. He started tickling her with his free hand. Damn he was strong. "Stop! Please! Too ticklish! I'll pee!" she warned him.

"What do I care? It's your couch. Admit it and I'll let you go." Emmett wasn't about to back down.

"Fine! I missed you too!" Emmett was satisfied by that and he flipped her over his arm and dropped her face down the couch. She rolled over and frowned up at him, trying to straighten her hair. "I only missed kicking your ass verbally."

"I'll take it, Demi." Alice hit him the stomach which only made him laugh. "Such violent girls. How'd you get the tame one?" he asked Edward.

Edward laughed as he carried my bags into my room. "Pure luck." He returned and sank into the armchair that I was standing next to. He smiled up at me and I took that as invitation so I sat on his lap. He breathed me in just like I had him earlier.

"You two sicken me." But there was no real heat in Alice's words. "I should send a picture of this to Charlie."

That got my attention. "Dad? You talked to him?"

Alice laughed. "Talked to him? I got invited to dinner with him and Sue. They're super cute together, Bella." She was bouncing in true Alice fashion. "Your dad honest to God blushes! Who knew?" Well, I had to get it from somewhere, but damn that was weird to think about.

"I did!" Rose giggled. "There was this one time that I swear he was checking out my chest and…" Damn her. I threw a throw pillow at her and she laughed harder. "You're just upset that I won't be your stepmother now."

"Bad enough that you'll be my sister-in-law!" I wasn't so thrilled about that now, but the boys were roaring and Alice was staring at us looking stunned. Oops.

"Um, what did you say? You're getting married? Like all of you? What in the hell happened at those cabins?" Her voice was getting louder with each word. "Where are the rings?" she demanded.

Of course she went there. I held up a hand to stop her. "We're not engaged or anything, it's just…"

"These two yahoos come from a long line of people who fall in love at first sight or some craziness," Rose interjected, gesturing at Edward and Emmett. "And it seems that Bella and I are the chosen ones. Of course, Emmett informs me of this during a drunken game of _I've Never_ , just announcing to all of us that he was going to marry me." She glared at him when he slid his arm around her.

"It's just _the one,_ Rosie," Emmett corrected, tugging on her hair. He turned to Alice. "We just know when we've found the right person. Time doesn't factor into it. I knew Bella was Edward's _one_ before they even met and then when Rosie walked into this very room, I was gone."

Alice shook her head, trying to understand. "And you told her this while you were drunk? Way classy." Emmett started to defend himself but she ignored him and turned to Edward. "How did you tell Bella?"

"In front of the fire after a fancy dinner," he told her with a smile. I smiled too, just remembering how sweet and wonderful it had all been.

Alice gave him an approving look. "Much better. How are you two even related?"

"Hey!" Emmett muttered. "It's not my fault the prickly one forced it out of me that way. And I did make up for it the next night."

Rose chuckled. "Yes, he did. Multiple times." She wiggled her eyebrows and Alice and I exchanged glances and laughed. "We'll tell you all about it, later. Back to HC DILF." I knew she was talking about my dad but wasn't sure what the HC was for. "Hot cop, obviously," she clarified.

"Ugh." She so loved annoying me with that shit. "Seriously, how was my dad?"

Alice bounced. "He's really good, Bella. Very happy. Of course he was a bit worried about his daughter being ravished in some remote cabin for days on end, but other than that…" Alice trailed off, giggling at the expression on Edward's face. I had to laugh as well. He looked like he was going to be sick.

"Did you know that he's scouring tabloids looking for evidence that Edward is some kind of Hollywood bad boy? I assured him that wasn't the case but he didn't seem willing to give it up." She roared with laughter. "He asked me about TMZ and Perez Hilton!"

Oh my God, my dad was using the internet? "What?" I demanded. "He's going on the web now, too?"

"Oh yeah, Charlie's totally high tech," Alice assured me.

Man, time was changing. "He bitched and moaned when they switched over to computers instead of typewriters." Edward gave me a confused glance. "Charlie's kind of old school. He'd rather do everything with pens and paper than keyboards and computer monitors." Getting him to start emailing had been like pulling teeth, though he'd eventually given in.

"Well, he's turning into a pro on the internet, let me tell you." Alice turned to Emmett. "And don't think for a minute that he hasn't looked you up either. He asked just how much time Edward spent with his reprobate brother." I groaned.

"I am not a reprobate!" Emmett shouted.

"You're moving out," Edward told him. I laughed so hard I thought I was going to cry. He was so scared of my father.

"I am not!" Emmett protested. "Don't forget that the only reason you're defiling the police chief's daughter is because I pulled your head out of your ass and brought you up here."

Edward huffed. "But if that hadn't happened, then you wouldn't have met Rose."

"Yes, he would have," Rose declared. "I'd have come down your way and nailed his ass eventually." She would have, too. I had no doubt that she would have found him and made him hers, although she would have thought it was a temporary thing.

"Alright, you can stay. But if you get arrested again, you're out," Edward decided. I kissed his jaw, hoping to sooth his gun-toting father induced nerves.

"Like you scare me," Emmett replied, looking amused.

"I may not but Mom does and I'll tell her about the times that she doesn't know about." Ooh, he'd gone to the Mom threat. Sure enough, it got the response that I fully expected by now. Emmett turned dead white.

"You wouldn't." Edward didn't reply, just smiled at him in challenge.

"Emmett's days of appearing on TMZ are over," Rose announced. "Unless he appears on there with me."

Emmett grinned. "Count on it, baby!" And I could probably look forward to seeing one of my best friends on TMZ in the near future. She'd love it, though.

"You're all crazy," Alice decided, but she was smiling. "Anyway, I told your dad that Edward is really a good guy and that I had no doubt that he'd treat you well. That seemed to appease him."

Edward breathed a deep sigh of relief. "I adore you," he told Alice.

She giggled. "You better."

"I do. And I love my shirt, by the way." My friends and I had a good laugh at that one. I'd told them he'd love it.

"I thought you might. It's pretty cool. I might even get one." She'd look adorable in it and not like a nerd at all.

"I'll get you one," Edward promised.

"What shirt?" Emmett asked, looking put out since he was the only one in the dark.

"Never mind." Edward told him.

"Fine," he muttered.

It was time to shift focus before they started quizzing us about our sex life. "So, back to you." I focused on Alice. "Did you talk to Jasper at all over break?"

She blushed. "Yeah, a little. His spring break isn't for a couple more weeks, so he was in classes and stuff." Emmett laughed and got one of Alice's dirty looks. "We're just talking."

"Well, I'm glad you did." He was good for her. "Have you thought about this summer yet?"

Alice looked thrilled. "Well, that's one of the things that has me so excited!" I waited, because it was clear that she was going to make some kind of announcement. "I have an interview this week for a job at Seattle General!"

That was amazing. Rose and I both yelled and I hurried to hug Alice. "That's so great! I'm so excited for you!"

She looked like she was going to jump out of her skin. "Me too! I've been on cloud nine all week. Of course, it's just an interview but you never know."

"I guess that means Europe's out," Rose sounded sad as she gave Alice a hug as well. "I'm thrilled for you but bummed for us."

"Don't be! The job wouldn't start until August. They're just making the push to start the hiring process now before a bunch of us graduate and scatter, I guess. They're working in conjunction with the university so I have as good a shot as anybody."

"So, you're coming with us?" I asked, trying to contain my excitement, holding out hope.

"Hell yes! Look out Germany!" We were all up, dancing in excitement. Edward and Emmett were smiling and watching us, looking thrilled that we were so happy.

"That's so great! And you might have a real job when we come back!" It was a daunting thing. Alice was possibly going to be out in the real world. Where was I going to be? What did I want? Things that had been so clear before were muddied with Edward in the picture. I decided to think about that later. Alice and Rose were chattering about all the places that we should go. I looked over at Edward. He wasn't smiling anymore so I tried to coax one from him. He held out a hand to me and I took it, sliding back into his lap.

"Is it okay if we go to Paris for a few days?" I asked, wondering if he'd be upset if I went off without him now and then.

Edward scooted me around so that I was sitting across his lap. "Baby, I want you to go and see whatever you want. It's your vacation. I'll be working."

And I knew that, but I didn't want to go without him. "I know, but I won't see you every night if we make little side trips."

"Bella, have you ever been to Europe?" He waited as I shook my head no. "Well, I want you to experience it. See everything you want to see. I wish I could show you myself, but I can't, so I'm glad you have Rose and Alice to see it with. I know you've yet to experience what it's like when I'm filming, but it's very long days. I'm usually up and out by five and not back until ten on a good night, later than that on a bad one."

That sounded like a long ass day, or days. "Really? That doesn't sound fun."

He laughed. "No, it's pretty grueling but I love it anyway. I can and will have some days off and we'll work with those, but I don't want you to worry about waiting around for me, okay?"

"Okay." I was just going to make sure the time that we did have counted.

We talked and planned through dinner and drinks, prolonging the night, knowing what the morning would bring. Eventually it was time, though, and as thrilled as I was to see Alice again, I wanted to spend some time with my boyfriend before I had to be without him for five weeks. We said our goodnights and walked into my bedroom holding hands.

Not a word was said as we looked at one another and helped shed clothes that were in the way. He touched me reverently, as if I was some fragile piece of glass. I kissed and tasted and loved every inch of him, hoping to say with my touch what I wasn't yet able to say with my words. Where we'd gone at each other in a hurry this morning, tonight we savored one another. When he entered me, his eyes were full of love. His hands held mine and we moved together. He whispered words of love that made me want to cry. We came as one and instead of going to sleep; we spent the majority of the night just talking to one another. It'd be awhile before we could be in this perfect bubble of contentment. We chatted about silly things from our youths, nothing about what was to come in the morning. We made love again before we finally succumbed to sleep.

My alarm jolted us both awake, way too early. We'd had only a couple hours of sleep but it'd been worth it. I felt like I knew him all the better and loved him all the more. I met Edward's gaze as we lay on the pillow, facing one another. He touched my cheek and kissed my forehead and just held me, not speaking for several minutes. I knew we couldn't wait much longer. "We need to get up," I told him reluctantly.

Edward nodded and got out of bed, kissing my forehead one more time. I lay there for a second as he turned on the water. I didn't want even a shower to part us so I got up and padded into the bathroom. He smiled as I entered the shower and pulled me into his arms. I held on to him as if I would never let go, even though I had to. A few tears spilled but hopefully he'd think it was the water that we were standing under. I willed myself to hold it together for a little longer and bent to get the soap. I cleaned him, soaping up his beautiful body, memorizing the feel of him beneath my hands. He then did the same, stroking his long fingers through my hair when he shampooed me, washing my body as thoroughly as I had his. Edward looked so sad and I shook my head, trying to smile for him. "It'll be over before you know it." We'd be back together soon. I was holding on to that fact.

We got of the shower and I put on my jeans and sweatshirt, brushing my hair back into a ponytail. It was going to dry all funny but I didn't care. Edward put on his own jeans and a blue button down. He was too beautiful for words. He sank onto the bed and looked at me sadly. I went to him, wrapping my arms around him.

"This sucks," he informed me, which made me laugh. It was so true.

"I know. But you'll be so busy that you'll hardly have time to miss me."

Edward pulled back and looked me dead in the eye. "I'll miss you every minute of the day." His voice held the truth in his words and I smiled, trying to blink tears away. "I'm going to inundate you with calls, texts and emails, just so you know."

Bring it, baby. "I'm ready to be inundated." I held on to that impossibly gorgeous face of his. "Just so you know, I'm going to miss you, too, but I promise I'll be okay. Don't you worry about me." I wasn't going to let him think I couldn't handle this. I could, even if it sucked. Edward made an adorable face that made me laugh. "I'm going to kick academic ass while I wait for you to come back to me."

That got him to smile. "I have no doubt you will, baby. Just be sure to have a little fun, too. But not too much."

As if I could without him. "I'm saving all the fun until graduation. We'll have a lot of fun then."

"We will, baby," he promised.

"Edward!" Emmett shouted. He sighed and stood, bringing me to my feet, kissing me, those perfect lips of his sending tingles through me. I kissed him back and his grip around me tightened. He pushed me back against the door and rubbed himself against me as we mauled at each other. I needed him, so badly. The need just came over us both and there wasn't enough time.

"Damn it," he growled when we broke apart.

I laughed as his frustration echoed mine. "I know. Five weeks."

"I love you," he declared, making me smile. Those words from his lips would never fail to make me feel good.

"I love you, too."

"This isn't goodbye. I'm never going to say goodbye to you," he promised.

That worked for me. I kissed him again. "It's see you soon."

"See you soon." He hugged me as Emmett knocked. "Not soon enough."

I completely agreed with him. "It never will be soon enough. Call me when you get home?"

Edward nodded. "I will." We opened the door and found two people who looked just as displeased about the separation as we did. Emmett pulled me into his arms and steered me away from Rose and Edward.

"Do me a favor and don't let her decide that she isn't in love with me while I'm gone."

I laughed. "Rose isn't that fickle."

"No, but she is that stubborn and she'll try to convince herself that she got caught up in the moment." He was probably right. "You just remind her that she has the best in me."

He made me smile. "I will."

He hugged me again before releasing me. "I'll take care of Eddie."

"I know you will." I hadn't a doubt in my mind that Emmett would keep my man safe and hopefully happy while he was away from me.

I walked back to Edward as he was thanking Rose for something. He pulled me close and Emmett took Rose outside for another moment alone.

"Do you have everything?" I asked, not knowing what else to say. There was too much I wanted to, but I didn't want to make his leaving any harder than it was.

"Everything but what I want the most," he told me.

Oh, damn. I fought against a sob. "Don't make me cry, damn it. I swore I wasn't going to."

"Sorry, baby." He sounded miserable.

"And you do have me, even when I'm not with you," I reminded him. He would always have me.

"And you have me." He held on to me tightly, as if afraid to let me go.

"I love you so much," I whispered as I kissed him again.

"I love you forever," he vowed when we pulled apart.

Rose came back in and I could tell she was struggling not to lose her shit, as well. She pointed to the door and Edward nodded. "See you soon," he declared, kissing me.

That's right, no goodbyes. "See you soon." His fingers brushed over my cheek before he picked up his bag and headed toward the door. He glanced back at me and smiled that beautiful, heartbreaking smile of his. "I love you." I had to say it again.

"Forever," he promised. He turned and walked out the door and that's when I let the tears fall for real. Rose wrapped her arms around me and her shoulders were shaking a little as she held me and I cried.

"They'll be back or I'll kill them both," she muttered, making me laugh through my tears.

"They'll be back." I knew it with every fiber of my being. Edward and I completed each other and in five weeks, we'd be whole again.


	47. Words with Acquaintances

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After I had a good cry in Rose's arms, I dragged my tired ass back to my bathroom and washed my face. I looked like shit, but I was coming off an unforgettable spring break. I probably wasn't going to be the only one who looked a little worse for wear. I just might be the only one who wasn't hungover. Oh, and who was dating the sexiest man on the planet and had to say goodbye to him for five whole weeks. No, not goodbye. We'd agreed. See you soon. That sounded a lot better, even if five weeks was not at all soon. Soon was in a few hours, maybe in a day. Maybe a few days. Not weeks and weeks. Stupid school.

"Are you through pouting?"

I turned at the voice in the doorway and stared at Alice, who looked perfect and put together as usual in her yellow sundress. "Isn't it a little cold for that?" I asked peevishly. She made me look like, well, a college student damn it. That's what I was, though, for a few more weeks. So was she even though she didn't look it.

"I'm going to wear a sweater. And I can't help it. I'm feeling happy and I just felt like wearing this." She did a little twirl and I had to smile. "There it is."

"What?"

"You can smile without him." And the smile was gone. "Okay, you can accidentally smile without him."

I rolled my eyes and fixed my ponytail. "Excuse me if I'm not feeling good about not seeing my boyfriend for ages."

Alice came up next to me and slid an arm around my waist. "I know. But he'll call and email and all that good stuff. I know it's not the same, but it is how you met in the first place, right?"

That was true. "Right. But now that I've been with him, it's so different. I feel like part of me is missing."

Alice smiled at the two of us in the mirror. "Well, you don't know how lucky you are to feel that way. I wish I'd ever felt like that about someone. One day I will."

Right. Best not to wallow in front of the person who doesn't have anyone right now and wasn't overly happy about it two weeks ago. Think, Bella. "I'm sorry, Ali, you're right. I do know how lucky I am."

She tugged on my ponytail. "Good. Now let's get our asses to class. We only have a few more weeks of this early class bullshit. Let's go."

The day would only drag more if I didn't. "Okay, let's do it."

Xoxoxoxoxox

"What's up, bitch? Why do you look like something the cat dragged in? Did you party hard last week or what?"

I glanced over at Jessica who caught up to me after class. She looked like she'd spent the week on a beach in Hawaii. Or in a tanning bed. Seriously, was it possible to turn that color? She made me look like a ghost. "Or what. Just not ready to be back to school," I responded, trying not to get blinded by the orange/brown hue that seemed to glow on her skin.

"Shit, tell me about it. Cabo was amaaaaaazing. You should have been there. I totally hooked up with this hot Australian guy! His name is Luke and I'm in love!"

Right. Jess was always in love with someone new. It lasted until the next someone new came along. Australian, huh? I wondered if Edward could do an Aussie accent. I might like that almost as much as his English one. "That's great. Are you going to see him again?"

Jess shrugged. "Maybe? We exchanged numbers but he was heading somewhere or other to surf so I don't know."

Yeah, that was love alright. I managed, just barely, not to roll my eyes. "Sounds awesome."

"Have you talked to Ang? She totally got engaged. Guess she was right about Ben popping the question."

She sounded like she was discussing a dental appointment or something. "No! That's great. I'll have to give her a call. I haven't checked my messages yet." I'd shut the whole world away while I was with Edward and I wanted to go right back and do it again. Jess was already on my nerves and we'd only been talking for about two minutes.

"Yeah, it's cool and all. I'm not sure why she wants to get married so young but whatever." Jessica waved a hand like she was dismissing it all. "So what did you do all week?"

My mind filled with the wonderful moments Edward and I had shared. "Not much. It was actually pretty quiet."

"You must have gone home." She wrinkled her nose. "Why you'd want to spend time in that tiny town instead of surrounded by hot guys in Mexico is beyond me."

If she only knew. I bet she'd throw her surfer aside in a heartbeat if she'd had an offer for cabin time with Edward. "We did Cabo last year. It was fun but no big thing."

Jessica laughed. "You did Cabo when you had a boyfriend. It's totally a different thing; well, different for you anyway. I say what goes on during vacay doesn't count." It was a wonder she didn't have a boyfriend, really.

"Right, well, glad you had a good time." I was desperate to get away and get some coffee. "I'm just gonna head…"

"So who's the guy?" she asked, making me stop in my tracks.

"Guy? What guy?"

"Please, did you think Mike wouldn't say anything? It's all over that you've got some new guy that nobody knows about. Spill."

Fucking Mike and his big mouth. I didn't know what to say. I didn't want to lie to my friends, well, acquaintances really since Jess wasn't a great friend by any means, but I couldn't tell her the truth either. "It's new and I'm not really ready to talk about it." There, that was good enough.

"Not ready to talk about it? What, is this guy ugly or something? Who is he? Do I know him? Please tell me it's not that troll from Feminist Lit. I swear to God, Bella, if you're dating that guy I'm going to stage an intervention."

What in the hell? "Of course I'm not dating that guy, and his name is Todd."

"Todd? Todd who? I don't know any Todd's."

"Todd is the guy in our class that you just called a troll." It was mean, but kind of accurate.

"Oh, I thought your guy was named Todd. So, who is he?" I shook my head and Jessica heaved a giant sigh. "Don't tell me you broke up already. That's why you look like shit, isn't it?" No, I look like shit because I spent the night making love to Edward Cullen. Suck on it, bitch. Ugh, if only I could say it. But I didn't trust Jessica one iota with that information. I would probably tell Angela if she asked, but she wouldn't be pushing me and annoying the hell out of me either.

"Like I said, it's new. I'll tell you when I'm sure it's going somewhere." It was going somewhere amazing, but it wasn't her business.

"Fine. So if a break up isn't making you look like shit, what is it?" Then she gasped loudly. "Oh, I've got it, you heard!"

Heard what? "Um, what?"

"Don't put on a brave face for me, Bella. I know you know that Tyler's whore, excuse me, wife, had the baby." I blinked and tried to process that. Weeks ago, that news probably would have devastated me. Now I felt completely removed from it. "You didn't hear? They named her Sophie. Sophie Crowley. So lame."

I tried not laugh, because it was a pretty name but it didn't flow very well. "I hadn't heard, but good for them."

"You don't care?" she demanded. "I thought for sure you'd freak and go all Unibomber again."

"I didn't go all Unibomber," I muttered, annoyed. Fuck this. I headed toward the café so I could get some damn coffee. Unfortunately for me, Jessica came along.

"You did so! You holed up in your room like twenty-four seven and you wore that damn gray hoodie every time Rose and Alice made you go somewhere. I called you Bella Kaczynski for months."

I glared at her. "Not to my face, you didn't."

"Well, no, but I thought it." She laughed at her wit.

"Nice, Jess, you're a truly great friend." Sarcasm dripped from my tone.

"Hey, I'm just making sure you're not all upset about your ex, that's all. I'm glad you're not."

"Thanks. Now I'm getting a coffee and heading to class. I'll talk to you later."

She huffed but stopped following me. "Fine, but you are going to tell me about this new guy one of these days."

"Absolutely." Not. I waved and hurried away from her. I was going to have to get my shit together today. I didn't want anybody to think I was mourning the loss of Tyler once again. I didn't give a damn about him. He ceased to be important, yet another thing that I was grateful to Edward for. He'd shown me what real love was all about. What I'd had with Tyler didn't come close to what I felt for Edward. He was everything.

Xoxoxoxoxox

"Hey, Bella."

Oh shit. I hunched my shoulders and turned to face that all too familiar voice. Big Mouthed Mike Newton. Of course he found me on the first day back. Maybe Edward was right and he was a little stalker. I briefly imagined a big, burly bodyguard who looked exactly like Emmett stepping between us and scaring the piss out of Mike. Maybe I shouldn't have been so quick to reject the idea.

"Hi, Mike." My tone was flat and disinterested but as usual, the moron took no notice.

"How was your break?" he asked cheerfully.

"It was great but over way too soon. Yours?" I asked, because it was the polite thing to do and I was fucked already. We both had class in the same building so there was no avoiding him unless I skipped class, which was a possibility I wasn't going to reject quite yet. If he asked me out again, I was bolting.

"It was really cool! Some guys and I took a road trip up to Canada and kicked it in Vancouver for the week."

Kicked it? Who talked like that? "I'm glad you had fun." Walk a little faster, get to class and get away from him. That was the plan.

"What did you do?" he asked, managing to keep pace with me with little effort. Damn it. Maybe Edward would send me a personal trainer along with the bodyguard. I needed to get faster and stronger.

Be vague. "I went to the mountains. It was great." Understatement of the century.

"Oh yeah? Who'd you go with?" His blue eyes were studying me intently. It was very disconcerting.

"Rose." Sort of.

"Cool, cool. Brady still misses her." I shrugged at that. Brady was very old news as far as Rose was concerned. "So, uh, was that guy there?"

He was about as subtle as a Mack truck. "What guy?" I asked, playing dumb.

His cheeks actually colored a bit. "The guy who was there when I delivered your pizza," he muttered, teeth clenched.

No point in playing dumb any longer. "Yes, he was." I wasn't going to deny it and maybe, just maybe Mike would get the message. Bella Swan is very much off the market, not that she was ever really on it in the first place, especially not for you.

His face fell a little and he nodded. "Well, that's good. Um, listen, we're having a party on Friday night and I wanted to invite you."

Really? Jesus Christ, what would it take for him to give up? Did I need to wear an engagement ring? "Listen, Mike, you're really nice but I've got a boyfriend." Really nice, really annoying, same thing in his case.

"Oh, I get it, Bella. I do." Did he? He sounded like I'd just told him that his dog was dying. "You can bring him if you want."

Ha! I could just see me and Edward waltzing into a frat party together. No thank you. If he wasn't on a plane trip on Friday night, I was going to spend the evening on Skype with him. I didn't know how long it'd be before we could hook up that way again, thanks to the damn time change and both our schedules. Now that I knew just what they asked of him on a filming day, I wasn't going to let him forego sleep to talk to me. It would be tricky but we'd work around it.

"We actually already have plans, but thanks, Mike." Mercifully, we reached Marin Hall and our classrooms.

"Maybe the next one," he said, sounding dejected. He really needed to find a girl that was not me.

"We'll see. It's going to be awfully busy up until graduation. See ya, Mike."

"Bye, Bella." He walked off, shoulders slumped. I felt a twinge of sadness at rejecting him yet again but really it was his own fault. He knew that I was with Edward, or at least, someone, and he needed to respect that. I was glad he didn't seem to have any idea who Edward was. Our secret was safe, for now.

I took out my phone as I slid into my seat and realized it was still set to silent. Hopefully Edward hadn't tried to call. Or Dad had. That wouldn't be good either. I smiled when I saw I had a text message.

**Home isn't home without you here. I can't wait for the day that I come home to you, wherever that may be. I love you.**

His words, as always, made my heart beat faster and my body feel a lot warmer. He made me forget all about that annoying exchange with Mike. He wasn't important. This was.

_I'm so glad you're home, safe and sound, but very sorry you're not with me. My home isn't the same without you there, since you're my home now. I can't wait for forever with you. I love you, too._

I silenced my phone again and tried to focus on class. Five more weeks. I needed a time machine.

Xoxoxoxox

"The day from motherfucking hell!" Rose shouted as she walked into our apartment. I jerked in surprise, which caused my highlighter to mark half the page I'd been reading. Lovely.

"What's wrong with you?" I asked as she came around the corner.

"First, we had a surprise quiz in Anatomy. What kind of fucking professor gives a quiz the day you come off of Spring Break?" she demanded, throwing her books down and pacing around the room, her face furious.

"An asshole."

"Damn right! A giant, cock sucking, dick fucking asshole!" I giggled at her choice of words and she glared at me. "Then, some cock licker spilled his fucking orange juice all over my sweater." She whipped off her coat and I saw a giant orange stain on her white cashmere sweater. Oh fuck. That was a favorite of hers.

"Is he still alive?" I asked nervously.

"Just barely. Only the fact that I didn't want the next time I fuck Emmett to be in some rickety jail trailer saved his life. That and he followed me straight to the nearest ATM and gave me a hundred bucks to replace it." I snickered. Nobody crossed Rose.

"Sounds like a hell of a day."

She rolled her eyes and dropped down in the kitchen chair across from mine. "That wasn't the end of it. Brady cornered me and invited me to some stupid party and begged me to go out with him again."

I shook my head. "Mike told me that he wanted you back."

"You talked to Mike?" she asked, wrinkling her nose.

"He wanted to invite me to the same party and pump me about Edward."

"What did you tell him?"

I shrugged. "Just that I had plans on Friday night and that I was seeing someone now and that was that. He said something about going to another party but I just said I'd be busy for the rest of school."

"Good. Hopefully he'll leave you the fuck alone, finally. I have no doubt Brady will me." Her smile glittered.

"Oh shit, what did you do?"

"At first I tried to be nice." She laughed at my expression. "I really did. I said hello pleasantly and asked if he had a good break and everything. Then he started asking me to go out with him again and I got annoyed. But I said no and thought that would be all and he got a little handsy, grabbing at my wrist and that pissed me off."

Shit. "Did you hit him?"

"Only where it hurt." I raised an eyebrow and she smirked. "I told him that I was dating someone else, someone who was capable of getting it up more than once an hour and whose cock I could still feel even though we hadn't fucked for twelve hours."

Dear God. "Rose!"

"He touched me without my permission. He's lucky the verbal slap was all he got."

"Verbal slap? More like a verbal bitchslap." That set her off and she laughed so hard she turned red. "You're evil."

"Yeah, well, Emmett loves it, so what do I care? Have you talked to Edward yet?"

"Just a couple texts. They're having dinner with their parents tonight and he'll call me after."

"Yeah, that's what Emmett said." Rose's face clouded momentarily before she shook her head. "What should we do tonight? Chinese and a movie?"

I eyed her. "Did you and Alice make some kind of plan to babysit me for the next five weeks?"

Rose batted her lashes. "I don't know what you could possibly mean."

Bullshit. "I mean, Alice was here when I got home and she wanted to talk about Europe and class and my father and everything else she could think of. She left about five minutes before you got here, after she got a mysterious phone call, and now you're planning the night for me. Is there some plot afoot to make sure that I don't have time to wallow?"

Rose chuckled. "Mysterious phone call? What was so mysterious about it? Does she have some cool new sinister ring tone?" I merely sat and waited. "Okay, maybe we agreed that it might not be the best idea if you had a lot time alone over the next few days, but we're certainly not babysitting. We just want to spend time with our best friend. What's wrong with that?"

I had to smile. "Nothing, I suppose. And Chinese and a movie sound good." I was only studying to kill time anyway. "How are you doing? Missing Emmett?"

Rose nodded. "Yeah. It's weird how a few days can change everything, you know? I mean, we've been texting since they got home and no matter how shitty my day was going, every time I got a new message from him it made me feel like everything was going to be okay."

I smiled. "That's how it should feel."

"I guess, but it's scary as fuck, too. How can you be so calm about it all?"

"What do you mean?" I didn't feel particularly calm about the next five weeks without Edward.

"This whole predestined stuff? Like, they plan on marrying us and we've only known them for five minutes. Doesn't that scare the shit out of you?"

I thought about it but no, it hadn't, not even from the first moment that he told me. I'd just been overwhelmed and thrilled, to be honest. "No. I suppose if any other guy told me that, even Tyler back in the day, then it would have, but it's different with Edward. It just feels right."

Rose sighed. "I know, but does it feel right because you've had a crush on him forever and here he is offering you the world, or does it feel right because he's him? We both wanted them before we ever spoke to them and I can't help but wonder if we're just swept up in the fucking fantasy."

Emmett's words rang in my ears. He knew her very, very well already. "Remember in the beginning, when I first started talking to Edward?" Rose nodded. "At first, it was that excitement. I found Edward Cullen, against all odds, and he was talking to me and flirting with me and that was awesome. And we were both excited about it."

"Yeah, so?" she asked, tapping her fingers on the table.

"So, initially I shared most of what he said with you, because it was so unreal to me and I was all caught up in the excitement of it. But then we talked on IM and things started to change more and more. I wanted to keep the stuff we said private, because it meant something. Because he was more than Edward Cullen. He was my Edward. The things he says, the things we do, they're ours, you know? I mean, you're my best friend so of course I'm going to tell you some things and ask for your advice and help when it comes to costumes…" she laughed and I grinned at her. "But I notice that you haven't asked me for a play by play of what went down."

She shrugged. "I knew you wouldn't give it to me."

"Yeah, and you know why. I'm sure that despite the freaky things you and Emmett revealed yesterday, you have some things that you want to keep to yourselves as well." She nodded again. "Well, you wouldn't do that if you just saw him as the Emmett you crushed on. You'd have given me every graphic detail."

Rose laughed. "So very true. Like I did with Royce."

I shuddered at the memory. "Exactly. He didn't matter to you the same way Emmett does."

She sighed. "I had to go and fall in love with him. That wasn't part of the plan."

I grinned at her. "But isn't it better than the plan? Fucking him and forgetting him would have been a lot less fun."

"But it would have been a whole lot easier. He's already so convinced that we're going to get married and have a billion babies. I can't imagine it. I never wanted to get married."

And it was easy to see why not. "That's because you come from a messed up family that showed you exactly what marriage isn't supposed to be."

Rose laughed bitterly. "And yours was that much better? Your mom bailed on both of you. How can you be so sure that you can do it?"

"Because I love him with everything I have. Because he makes me feel like I'm the only woman in the world and because I'd do anything to be with him."

"Anything?" she asked. "What about grad school?"

There was the million dollar question. "We haven't talked about it. It seems too soon."

She smirked. "So it's not too soon to think about marriage and forever but it is too soon to talk about school?"

I knew it didn't make sense, but it just was. "I know. It's just complicated. He's got another movie filming in the fall, so he'll be in London. What am I supposed to do, tag along with him? Am I that girl? The one that throws all her plans aside for the guy?"

"Fuck if I know. Emmett 's already mentioned how good the med school is at UCLA several times."

Well, damn. "And?"

"And, like you, I wonder if I'd be crazy to just chuck my plans and try to get into school down there. It's too fast and too much!" She threw up her hands in aggravation.

"Nobody said you have to figure it out right now. Take the summer, see what happens and what you want when it ends."

Rose put her head in her hands. "This wasn't the plan."

No, she'd had a plan in place for a long time. "No, but it may be better."

"Maybe," she muttered. "How will I know?"

I smiled. "You already do." She glared at me. "Let's just worry about graduating. The rest will come."

"You sound like you believe that," she said in disbelief.

"I believe in Edward. The rest is just semantics."

"I'm going to kick Emmett's ass when he comes back," she decided. "He just barged into my life and made a clear picture very muddy."

I grinned as I pushed back from my chair and stood. "You always liked getting dirty."

She snickered. "Fuck off."

"Get your ass up and order us some Chinese. Don't you have some babysitting to do?"

"You might be the babysitter now," she told but did as I asked. "Let's watch the latest _Steele_ movie. I wanna see Emmett's skills."

And I wanted to see Edward's everything. "That works."

Rose laughed. "I thought it might. I'll order food; you hit the shower and get into your pj's. We're going to be those girls, waiting for our boyfriends to call. God, I hate Emmett."

I laughed as I headed to my room. "No, you loooooove him." There was a thunk as whatever Rose had thrown at me hit the wall. It was her Anatomy book. Fitting. "See you in twenty." And see my man, sort of, then as well. At least I had videos to tide me over until I could have the real thing.

Xoxoxoxoxox

Rose and I were nearly through the movie when our phones rang at exactly the same time. We exchanged glances, she shut off the TV and we both answered as we headed in opposite directions toward our rooms.

"Hello." I tried not to sound too eager. I probably failed.

"Hi, baby." God, what his voice did just saying those two words. I melted as I sank onto my bed.

"Finally! I was beginning to think we'd never hook up today." Stupid school and movies.

His warm, rich laugh filled the line. "Tell me about it. Everybody's conspiring to keep us apart and I don't like it."

I laughed as his thoughts echoed mine. "Nobody's conspiring."

"Ha! My mom made me turn off my phone at dinner all because Emmett kept getting texts from Rose." So that's what she was doing with her Blackberry. I should have known.

"How dare they?" And more importantly, why hadn't I thought of texting him while he was at dinner? Mainly because I thought it would make me miss him more.

"It was totally dirty stuff, too, I could tell by Emmett's face."

Of course it was. "That doesn't surprise me, but why do you sound jealous? Did you want dirty texts?" Like I had to ask.

"I always want dirty texts, love."

I'd have to send him some tomorrow. "Aww, I know you do, baby. And had I had a minute alone all day, I would have sent you some. Everywhere I went there was somebody there, just waiting for me." Well meaning jerks, the both of them. "I think Rose and Alice were trying to make things easier, which I appreciate, but I missed you something fierce."

"I missed you, too."

Just hearing that made me smile. "I could tell by your text. That was so incredibly sweet."

"I meant every word, baby. It feels quiet and lonely here, even though Emmett's with me."

I knew all too well what he meant. Even though I hadn't had more than five minutes alone all day, I'd felt empty without him. "I know," I told him. "One day down, right?"

He laughed. "Yes, and it went pretty fast as long as I stayed busy. Mom surprised us not long after we got home."

He was so lucky. "Why doesn't that surprise me?"

"Mom's excited about your graduation. She's already plotting presents and care packages."

She was? I felt tears starting to form and blinked them back rapidly. "Care packages? Presents? Edward, that's silly. She doesn't have to get me anything."

"You try telling her that, baby. See if she'll listen to you. She's actually going to get stuff for Alice, too."

How incredible was his mother? Including Alice would make her day, I knew it. "Really? That's…that's amazing, Edward. Thank you."

"You have nothing to thank me for, baby. I just mentioned that Alice was around and Mom took it from there. We had to give her your address so expect something, I have no idea what."

"That's so sweet. I'm looking forward to it." She could send me a basket of rocks and I'd probably treasure it. I couldn't wait to meet his mom. Hopefully I wouldn't make a fool out of myself and cry all over her.

"I told you that Mom's going to be a huge part of your life from here on out. She can be overbearing at times but she means well."

"I doubt I'll ever mind." It'd be a refreshing change, for sure. I wouldn't know what to do with a real mother figure but I'd sure like to find out.

"Em thinks she already loves you and Rose more than us. I told him that she probably loved you more than him, but never more than me."

I had to laugh at the very idea of that. "I'll make sure you're always number one in her eyes."

"Not a competition, no matter how wonderful you are," he responded, making me giggle even more. Of course he'd always be her number one, who could blame her?

"You're really going to fight with me over your mother's love?" I demanded.

"I'll allow you to be slotted in next to me, where you belong. How's that?"

Too perfect. "That's exactly where I want to be."

Edward cleared his throat. "How was your day, baby?"

I sighed just thinking about it. "Not too bad, really. It wasn't easy being back after all that time off. I wanted to curl up and go to sleep in Feminist Lit."

That made him laugh. "Is that a new feeling in that class though?"

"No, but it was stronger this time." Because all I wanted was to curl up with you.

"Poor baby."

"You just wait, I'm going to call you from that class one day and make you listen." I smiled at the thought of him listening to my teacher drone on and on about women's rights. I had the right not to be bored to death in class, but she didn't seem to respect that.

"Bring it, Bella. I could use a good nap."

"Ha. Just a few more weeks to suffer through and then I'll burn those books." In a big, big bonfire.

Edward snorted. "That's not very feminist of you. You should at least throw some bras in there, so you're supporting the movement at the same time as you reject it."

Perfect! "I'll do that! Except do you really want me burning my bras?"

It sounded like he was about to choke on the other end of the phone. I giggled. "Uh, not any of the good ones. Don't you have an old ratty one that you wouldn't want anybody to see you in?"

How dare he suggest that! "As if I'm going to burn my most comfortable bra? That's not supporting the movement at all!" No way, no how. "I should burn that dark blue one, the wires are pokey."

"I like the dark blue one." He sounded all sulky at the very idea.

"You like all of them." So very much.

"Why don't you buy some new cheap ones to burn? Do they come in a four pack like underwear? Get those," he suggested.

Four packs? It was clear the man had never bought lingerie a day in his life. I was rather glad of that, though. "You're such a boy. Four packs? I'll find something to burn, something that you aren't emotionally attached to."

"I'm emotionally attached to all your bras. Burn Rose's. Emmett would probably send you a thank you note."

Did he want me to be killed? "A thank you note is not worth the ass kicking I'd get for even thinking of such a thing."

"Okay, just burn the books. I won't tell."

"You better not! So what were you doing while I was sharpening my mind?"

He sighed. "I talked to Kate."

"Oh yeah? How'd that go?" I knew she was on our side for now, but what about when the press was beating down her door for information about us.

"She was a little thrown about me attending your graduation, but I told her that I'm going and that's that. If we're outed that way, so be it. I plan on mentioning the fact that I am very much taken tomorrow."

Just the thought of that warmed me. "Mmmm, I like hearing that. Are you ready for the interview?"

"Those are old hat by now, baby. Yeah, I'm ready. I'm interested to see how she reacts to news of you and what happens after, I guess. My other relationships have all been so Hollywood. This is new for me."

"It's new for me, too." I needed to tell him that he wasn't the only one being questioned. Hopefully he wouldn't freak out about it. "I, um, ran into Mike today."

There was a pause. "Oh?" With just one word, his tone said it all.

"Stop worrying, Edward. He was fine. But he mentioned you and of course I didn't really know what to say. I just told him that I was seeing someone now and it was new and I was keeping it private." I laughed lightly. "He invited us to his frat party this weekend."

"I see." He was so annoyed. It shouldn't have been cute but it was.

"I told him that we had other plans."

"You know, if you want to go…" he stopped before he could say anymore and I was glad because I wasn't going to bother with frat parties. I didn't care for going when I was single, what point did it have now that I wasn't?

"I don't want to go. I've been there and done that. Besides, not only would Mike be there, but so would Jared. We're doing our best to keep Alice away from him so she doesn't suffer a relapse." That was the last thing we needed.

That got him laughing. "Okay, baby. I just don't want you to feel limited."

"Who says I'm limited? We do have plans on Friday night."

"What plans?" he asked, sounding infinitely cheerier.

"Well, if you're free, I was thinking maybe we could have another Skype date. We won't be in the same time zone for much longer so I thought…"

"Hell yes! I'm free," he interrupted.

I laughed at his eagerness. "You're so easy."

"Only for you, baby." Better be just for me.

"Good. It's a date then." I couldn't stop the yawn. Two hours of sleep and a full day did not a peppy Bella make.

"You need to get some rest, love."

Damn it. We hadn't had long enough. "I know, but I don't want to let you go."

"You couldn't if you tried. I wouldn't go anywhere."

Thank God for that. "Good."

"Have sweet dreams, Bella. I love you."

"I love you, too, Edward." It's not goodbye. I'll talk to him tomorrow.

"See you soon, baby."

Exactly. Never goodbye. "I love that. See you soon." I disconnected and curled into bed. It was lonely and I missed his arms around me. Soon. I was going to hold on to that.

Xoxoxoxox

The first thing I did when I woke was check my phone, but he hadn't texted yet. Unlike me, he probably was still in bed. I should have asked what time his interview was. I didn't want to bother him during it but I'd hate if I didn't get to talk to him all day again. Oh, I know! I can play _Words_ with him again! I opened the app and smiled when I saw he'd beaten me to it. Skeletor17 wanted to play with me. I damn well always wanted to play with him, so I hit accept right away.

HI? How cute was that? I opened up the message box to see what he'd had to say.

**Well, it's not a sexy word but I'll leave those to you. Instead I'll say hi, which probably should have been our first word. Not that I regret the words we did share. I never could. They brought me the woman I'm going to spend the rest of my life with, so every single one of them is wonderful.**

Oh God. He was too wonderful for words. And I was pretty sure Hi had been his first message to me, so it was fitting.

**Especially the dirty ones. The best part of being away from you, if there is such a thing, is that I get your Words again. I'd rather have you, of course, but I'll take what I can get until I can have you again.**

All my words, dirty and sweet, will always be for you, Edward.

**I can't believe I have to go to sleep without you. This big bed of mine is awfully lonely. I really can't wait for the day that you're here with me, or I'm there with you, or we're wherever together. See you soon, baby. I love you.**

I know. Sleeping without him just wasn't the same. One week together and my life had changed completely. I used to hate sharing my bed, now I wanted to more than anything. I blinked away the tears that formed at his sweet words. My turn.

_I'm pretty sure your first response to me was 'Hi, do I know you?' so we did have that covered, albeit in our typical unconventional way. I love hearing 'Hi' from you, though. Just that simple word tells me you're with me, which is all that really matters._

_I smiled when I saw that you'd started a new game. Your Words have long been a highlight of my day and they're going to be every day that we're apart. Just knowing that they're going to be there makes me smile. And I promise to send you the dirtiest words I can make. All for you._

_Sleeping without you isn't any fun. I missed your warm, strong arms wrapped around me and the soft snores you make now and then that come out of nowhere and stop almost instantly. Did you know you do that? I'd find it annoying if I didn't love it because it reminds me that you're there. Or you will be, soon._

_I can't wait until the day we're together again either, Edward. I'd count them down but the number's too high right now and I hate thinking about it. Once we're together again I may never let you go. How do you like that? I love you, so much. See you soon._

I flipped back to my app and frowned at my letters. How was I supposed to make anything sexy out of them? SUHORAM. Rim? Haha, no, I don't think so. Him? Screw it. I'd give him the word that his words turned me into. I played MUSH and smiled as I closed the app. The man turned me into jelly, so it was more than fitting. Five more weeks. We'd make it. Then he could turn me into mush with more than words. I couldn't wait.


	48. Wifed

I thought about contacting Edward when I got done with my shower, since I had plenty of time before class. I'd hated waking up alone but it was something I'd have to get used to for the time being. It was amazing how much a person, the right person, could change your world completely in a matter of days. I didn't want to wake him up, though. He only had a few days to sleep before those ridiculously long filming days started. No, I wouldn't call Edward. I'd call the other man in my life. I couldn't put off contacting my father any longer. I would have done it yesterday had I not been surrounded at all times, or so it seemed.

I sat back on my bed and pulled up Dad's work number. He answered in two rings. "Charlie Swan."

His gruff voice made me smile. "Bella Swan."

The chair squeaked and I could picture him sitting back. "Isabella Marie Swan."

Uh oh. He was mad. "Why am I being three named?"

"I don't know. Could it be that you went off the grid for over a week with some movie star and all I got was a text message telling me you arrived?" His tone was steely. I felt myself flushing with nerves like I always did when Dad was mad at me.

"You're exaggerating. I texted you a couple of times." I tried to keep my own voice cool and unaffected.

"But you didn't answer my calls," he pointed out.

Like I really wanted to chat with my Dad when Edward was either naked or dressed and within touching distance? A girl had to have her priorities. "But you knew that I was alive and well."

"I knew no such thing," he muttered.

"Yes, you did. If you suspected otherwise, a swat team would have descended upon us."

He choked out a laugh. "The only reason one didn't is because unlike you, Rose takes my phone calls."

Rose answered his calls? Of course she did, pervert. "She didn't tell me she talked to you."

"Funny how that works. There you two were, supposedly sharing a cabin, and yet you were never around when I called, nor did you even hear about it."

Shit. "It was a big cabin."

"Oh, I'm sure it was. Four bedrooms, which I assume were all in use."

Gah. This sucked. "They were." He didn't need to know that Edward and I had used them all together.

"Sure, Isabella."

Yep, still in trouble. "Dad, I'm alive and well. Very well, in fact. It was a wonderful vacation and I just wanted you to know that I'm home safe and sound. I'll just be going and…"

"So, I don't hear from you for ten days and now you want go after a five minute phone call?" he demanded.

"Well, if you're just going to be mad at me, yes. I called to talk to my dad, not the Gestapo."

He chuckled. "I'm hardly the Gestapo, Bella." Thank God, I was Bella again. "You can't blame me, can you? I know you're not a little girl anymore, but you're still my little girl and you were off with a man I've never met, _alone,_ for over a week. I worried. That's my job."

I had to smile. "I wasn't alone, per se."

"And I'm not stupid. Rose was not staying with you."

I sighed. "She was in the cabin next door, so we were practically staying together. Do you really want me to talk about this?" Please, God, let him say no.

"No!" he practically shouted. Thank you, God, I owe you one. "I just need to know that you're okay and that _that boy_ didn't hurt or upset you in some way?"

The way he said 'that boy' had me laughing. " _That boy_ is Edward Cullen and he'd never hurt me."

Dad sniffed. "I don't know that, do I? The last one wasn't supposed to hurt you either and look how that turned out."

There it was. "Dad, you can't hold Tyler against Edward. They're not the same person."

"I know that. This one has the power to hurt you more, though."

It wasn't a lie but how did he know that? "How do you know?"

"Because I know you, Bella. And I know how crazy you are about this guy and I worry because he's a big celebrity, there are women everywhere around him and I don't want you getting your heart ripped out again."

He was a sweet, loving father and I had to remember that he just didn't know Edward. He would see soon enough. But still, I had to try to assuage his fears. "Dad, do you believe in fate?"

"Bella…"

I hurried on because his tone said no. "I'm going to tell you something about Edward's family. Maybe it'll sound crazy to you, but it's just the way things are for them and I'd like you to keep an open mind."

Dad sighed. "Alright, lay it on me. But if they're all mystical weirdos or something I don't want to know."

I chuckled at the thought of Edward's family reading crystals and tea leaves. "Right, Dad. They're not mystical weirdos. The just have a tradition in their family, which is something I'm sure you can respect."

"Depends on the tradition. If they sacrifice live goats or something, then no."

Where did he get this stuff? "You're being insane. If they sacrificed live goats, I'd hardly tell you about it. Nor would I talk to them again, because you know how I feel about animals. Now, enough of that." I took a deep breath as my Dad laughed. "It seems that all the Cullen men sort of fall in love at first sight." At my Dad's disbelieving gasp, I hurried on. "It happened as far back as they know. The instant they meet the woman that they're supposed to spend the rest of their lives with, they know."

"Bella…"

"Dad, I know what you're going to say but it's true."

"You believe it to be true. Maybe you want it to be true. But it sounds like a line to me. A line to get a wonderful girl like you to fall head over feet and make foolish decisions."

I rolled my eyes. "Dad, do you really think that Edward has to use a line to make girls fall for him? You're the one reading tabloids and surfing the web. You know perfectly well that he could have any girl he wanted. He wants me."

My father said nothing so I hurried on. "Is that it? You don't think that I could get a guy like Edward to fall in love with me?"

"What? No! He'd be a fool not to love you. That's not what I'm saying."

"Then what are you saying, Dad?"

"I'm not…I just…damn it, Bella, I'm worried about you."

I softened my tone. "You have nothing to worry about."

"I just wish you'd fall for a normal guy."

Been there, done that. "Look where that got me before. Besides, Edward is a normal guy, Dad. He's a movie star, sure, but that's just his job. He's smart and funny and kind of a nerd. He's almost as competitive as I am, he sucks at pool, he loves _Star Wars_ and can quote almost any movie known to man, and he's sweet. He loves me, Dad. And I love him. Didn't you tell me, before you knew who I was involved with, that it was clear that the way I felt about him was worth fighting for?"

"Damn it. Why'd you have to listen to my advice?"

I smiled. "Because you're a smart man and I love you. I know it's going to be hard at times but most relationships are already. Edward's who I want and he wants me. We'll work it out."

"I suppose you will. Do they really know just like that?"

I laughed. "Yes. Edward's great grandpa broke up an engagement, his grandpa fell for a nanny in a park and his Dad met his Mom when they fought over a parking space. They've all been together ever since. It goes back further than that, but I don't know all the stories yet."

"And you and Edward met on the internet," Dad muttered.

"Over a game," I corrected. "And Emmett and Rose met when she called to yell at him for Edward and I having that fight."

"Wait a minute. Rose and that reprobate are like you two? He's been arrested five times!"

I giggled. He really had used the word reprobate to describe Emmett. And he was mad again, but at least it wasn't at me. "You knew she was with him."

"Well, yes, but I assumed he was one of her passing fancies like all the rest. He's supposed to be gone already."

How cute was it that my dad cared about Rose's boyfriends? Wait a minute. An ugly thought started to intrude. "You're not jealous, are you?" I asked, cringing.

"What? Why in the hell would I be jealous that both of my girls have boyfriends? I just don't think he's an acceptable choice. She should marry some doctor."

Oh, thank God. Rose's crush was not reciprocated. "I doubt Rose would ever marry a doctor, Dad, you know how she feels about her father."

"Fair enough. Then a lawyer or a businessman of some sort. Not a stunt driver with a poor track record and women coming out the wazoo. I gotta tell you, Bella, I nearly had a heart attack when I ran information on that family and saw all those arrests for E Cullen. If that had been your Edward, I would have hauled you away from that cabin faster than you could blink."

I had no doubt about that. "But you didn't haul Rose away," I reminded him.

"Because I assumed she'd be done with him by now! You're saying that she's his…"

" _One,_ Dad. They call it _the one."_

"Whatever. She's that, then, for him? And she's okay with it?"

I giggled. "Well, she's not overly happy about it, but she feels it just like I do. She loves Emmett, even if she's not quite ready to believe in happily ever after. Her parents haven't exactly given her an example of that."

"Humph. Neither did yours."

Oh, Dad. "Maybe not for the two of you, no. But you never showed bitterness or made me think that I shouldn't fall in love because Mom walked away from us. You gave me all that I needed, Dad."

He cleared his throat. "Well, then. That's good."

I grinned. "You're not crying, are you?"

"No! It's just that I'm glad that we didn't cause you any lasting issues."

Right. Like he was part of it. "You didn't cause me any lasting issues. Any that I had wouldn't have to do with you, Dad."

"Now, Bella, it takes two people to ruin a relationship."

"Not always, Dad. And you weren't the one who walked away."

"I wasn't what she wanted. I should have seen that before it got to that point."

Bullshit. "What are you, a psychic? You couldn't have known."

He sighed. "I should have. Your mother was always a free spirit."

Free spirit. Ha. She was flaky and self-centered. "She didn't want us, Dad. That's her loss, not ours. We were better off without her."

"I hope so." He paused. "Bella, I'm going to ask you something and before you go off, remember how I listened when you asked me to a few minutes ago."

"You didn't do so well with that, Dad," I reminded him.

He laughed. "Maybe not, but you're better than me."

"Ha! Sure, Dad. Okay, bring it."

I braced myself for another diatribe about Edward. "Have you thought about inviting your mother to your graduation?"

He couldn't have surprised me more if he'd signed off on me and Edward releasing our own line of sexy times videos. "What?"

"I just don't want you to look back and regret not having invited her. And if you don't want to because of me, well, that's just not an issue. I have no problem with her coming to see her only child graduate from college. It's a big deal and she should be there."

I blinked a few times, trying to absorb it. "Dad, she doesn't even know me."

He blew out a breath. "I know that, Bella, but maybe she should start? Surely she's grown up a bit, just like you have. I'm not saying you have to invite her. I'm just saying that maybe you should consider it. Your life is changing quite a bit, what with you gallivanting around the world with movie stars and whatnot." I laughed at that one. "One day, if this _one_ business is for real, or hell, even if it's not, you'll be getting married and having a family of your own. I don't want you to miss out on having a whole family there for those big things. Graduation is one of them."

That was probably the most my father had to say about my mother in a long time. Since the last time I visited her, likely. "Dad, I'm not sure about it. We barely talk and when she sends me presents for my birthday or Christmas, well, you've seen them."

He laughed. "I know. They're not remotely you. But the fact is, she does still send something. She cares, in her own way. It's completely up to you and I'm not saying another word about it. I just want you to consider it. It's your day and I don't want anything missing from it. Nor do I want you to feel obligated to invite her if you don't want to. I just want you to be happy, always."

I smiled at his words, even though my mind was whirling. I wasn't ready to think about it now. I had time yet. "I'll give it some thought, Dad. But I am happy already. Happier than I've ever been."

"I'm glad to hear that, Bella. That's all that matters to me."

"You're happy, too, right? Alice said you and Sue are cute together."

"Cute? Jeez. I'm not cute, Bella." I laughed at the embarrassment in his voice. "Yes, I am happy, though. Sue's a wonderful woman." He cleared his throat. "Now, shouldn't you be going to class or something?"

It was nearly that time. And I knew talking about feelings wasn't something my Dad was all that comfortable with. This had been a hell of a conversation for us. "Yeah, it is. Thanks, Dad."

"Nothing to thank me for," he told me. He was so wrong. There were many things to thank him for, too many to count. "You go have a good day and tell _that boy_ that I have my eyes on him."

I giggled. "I'll tell him, Dad. You take care and I'll talk to you soon."

"You better."

"Love you, Dad."

"I love you too, Bella. Bye."

I shrugged as I hung up. The call hadn't started out great but by the end, it was pretty darn good. It looked like Dad was going to trust my faith in Edward. Hopefully the tabloids wouldn't shake that at all. I got up and grabbed my bag. Time to get day two without Edward out of the way. Yeah, I was counting down. I couldn't help it.

Xoxoxoxoxox

Damn this class was boring. All these classes lately were doing nothing to help my opinions of books that I'd formerly loved. But it was my teacher's fault, I was sure. Totally not the books themselves. I tried to stay focused as my teacher droned on and on. At least we were doing the Second Nun's tale now. Only four to go.

My phone buzzed in my pocket and I yanked it out before the vibration even finished.

**Does this outfit work? Apparently I'm supposed to define myself through my clothing. I feel ridiculous trying to define myself through apparel.**

Does it work? Jesus. He was in a black leather jacket, some expensive looking blue shirt and his Death Star t-shirt. And sunglasses. Holy fuck, I couldn't look past the sunglasses. Edward looked sexy as sin in sunglasses and there he was smiling and looking completely doable and I was stuck in fucking class hundreds of miles away.

_You should warn a girl before you send a picture of yourself looking so incredibly hot while she's stuck in class!_

I kept my phone out and waited for his response, not bothering to listen to my teacher anymore.

**Sorry, baby, it's an emergency.**

Oh, right. He asked a question.

_Humph. You're lucky I love you. And in answer to your question, you look great. I love that you're wearing my shirt!_

I couldn't believe he wanted to wear the shirt I gave him to his interview. How great was that?

**I love the idea of having this little piece of you with me when I go through the ringer. Plus, you know the real me and apparently they want to as well. So I'll show them both sides of myself.**

All his sides were incredible, and all of them were mine.

_Just as long as they don't see the parts of you that are just for me! You look great and I know you'll knock them dead. Kick some ass, baby._

Another text came in a few seconds later.

**Always, sexy. The interview with** _**Playgirl** _ **is tomorrow, so that's when I might have to show the parts that are just for you. Talk to you later. I love you.**

I laughed at just the thought of him appearing in _Playgirl_.

"Ms. Swan, are we distracting you from something important?"

Fuck. "No, I was just a little blown away that Cecelia survived both boiling and beheading. Too bad she wasn't married to Henry the Eighth, am I right?"

My professor eyed me but thankfully she couldn't see my phone in my lap. "I suppose so. Now if I may continue?" I smiled innocently and pretended to care as she went on about the faithful woman that couldn't die. She'd clearly never been tempted by Edward Cullen.

_I love you, too, even though you totally just got me busted by my prof. The things I do for you! And I know the Playgirl thing is a lie._

It better be or I'd have to blind a lot of women. Men, too, probably.

**Sorry, baby. I was just teasing. Is this a male or female professor? Don't let them keep you after class, that's my job!**

And my mind was immediately back in our classroom. Damn right. He was the only one I'd stay after class for. Shit. I was hot and turned on and my teacher was still droning on.

_And now I'm even more turned on. Turnabout is fair play, Mr. Cullen. Just you wait. And it's a woman, lucky for you._

My phone vibrated in my lap which set me off even more.

**Bring it, baby.**

Oh, he did not just challenge me when he had a day long interview to sit through, did he? Alright then. Time to consult with Rose.

Xoxoxoxoxox

"Edward sent me a super sexy picture of himself when I was in class and he got me all worked up," I told her when I got home.

Rose smirked. "Was it his cock? Because Emmett's is…"

"Don't even finish that sentence. I'm sure you have pictures and I don't want to see them." She just grinned wider at that. "He was fully clothed, thank you. He was just hot. It's what he wore for Rolling Stone." I showed her the picture which I had of course saved to my phone.

"Damn," she muttered as she checked it out. "Those are going to be some fuckhot pictures in _Rolling Stone."_

Yes, yes they were. "He was amused at the fact that I was turned on in class and could do nothing about it and when I told him turnabout was fair play, he told me to bring it."

Rose's smile turned feral. "Well, let's bring it then. Take off your clothes."

Jesus. "I'm not getting naked, Rose."

"Damn it. You're no fun, Bella. Fine, what do you want to do, then?"

"I'll get mostly naked." I thought about it for a minute and smiled. "I'll wear the t-shirt I stole from him."

Rose's eyes twinkled. "Ooh, that's good. Guys love to see their girls wearing their clothes. Put it on and get on your bed."

I laughed as I pulled out his t-shirt. I hadn't washed it yet and it smelled like him. The green went perfectly with his eyes which is why I stole it. And I stole the blue one because he looked hot in it. And the gray one because it was soft. Yeah, so I was a little klepto when it came to Edward's clothes. It couldn't be helped.

I lay on my side on the bed and Rose came in and took my phone. "Give me your best 'I wanna fuck' look," she demanded. That just made me laugh and she glared at me. "Pretend I'm Edward and I'm dressed just like he was in that picture." That worked. Rose grinned and started snapping. "Perfect!"

She held the phone out to me and sure enough, I looked like I was ready to be ravaged by my man. "That'll do. Thanks, Rose!"

She walked out with a wave and I fired the picture off to Edward.

_Consider it broughten. Yes, I just quoted Not Another Teenage Movie. Deal._

Take that, interview boy. It wasn't long before he responded.

**You win, baby. Part of me wants to beg you for more pictures but I'm well aware that if you do, the title of the interview might be Edward Cullen, Viagra Addict? Four Hour Erections Are Possible.**

I laughed so hard my sides hurt. That would be terrible. Funny, but terrible. And he better not have an erection around some reporter. Those were mine.

_Ha! You better not waste a four hour erection on some reporter. That's the only pic for now, baby. My photographer has class. Well, she has a class. Let's not call her classy. She wanted me to pose naked._

That would set him off, I knew it.

**I consider her quite classy. My photographer isn't nearly as cool as Rose, but you'll be glad to know the only clothing I've removed so far is my jacket.**

Damn right it is.

_Good. Save the disrobing for our date on Friday night. I'll do the same._

Yes, Edward, I will have you naked before you get on that plane to leave Saturday morning.

**I can't wait, baby. I'll gladly take it all off for you.**

And I felt that pull down low in my belly. Damn I wanted him. My phone buzzed again before I could respond.

**Gotta go, Bella. I can feel the reporter's eyes boring into my head.**

Ah, well, looks like I'll have to go solo this afternoon. There's always tonight. I opened my _Words_ app since I hadn't checked to see if he'd played yet. He had! MAID? What was that about? I opened the message to find out.

**I'm always with you, Bella. Never doubt that. You were the last thing on my mind last night and the first thing on my mind this morning. My alarm going off without a sexy note from you telling me not to be late really sucked. Instead I had a message from Kate telling me not to be late to my interview. It doesn't have quite the same effect, though.**

No, it sure doesn't. One day, we'd wake together every morning and I'd surprise him with some special school days.

**I know my word kinda sucked, but it was the best I could do. Plus, you would be an extremely sexy French maid. Or cop. Or Eskimo. You'd be sexy any way.**

It looked like I'd need to visit that sexy costume shop website again. Edward would love it.

**Bring me all the dirty you can, baby. I'm going to need it to get through my time without you. Not that that's all that I want from you. Not by a long shot. Just having your words this morning brought a smile to my face.**

**Of course, you wiped that out by lying about me snoring, but I forgive you. You need to tease me. I get it. Just make it the good kind of teasing, baby. But wait until my interview is over. I wouldn't want to give the interviewer the wrong impression, after all. My impressions, such as they are, are all for you.**

Yes, they are, but you had some teasing coming, Mr. Cullen. You told me to bring it after all.

**I'm going to hold you to your promise to never let me go. I'm ignoring the may you included with it. Let's just pretend it isn't there. Don't ever let me go, baby. I need you. And I love you. Always.**

I loved him, too. So much. And could it be coincidence that I had the word WIFE mixed in with my letters? No, I didn't think so. I played it off the D. WIFED. One day, right?

_My poor baby. I'm sorry you had to wake up to go to your interview with one of the coolest magazines on the planet. I had to go to class, and not one of our sexy classes. That's not fair! And then you teased me with your gorgeous self and rendered me useless for the rest of the day. Are you proud of yourself? I know you are._

_So now you have a thing for French maids along with teachers and cops? What other fetishes are you hiding from me? I'll bring you the dirty, Edward, although this time I brought you the sweet, I hope. Someday, right?_

_You do snore now and then, but it's cute and quiet, so I don't mind in the least. And yes, your impressions are all mine, though I'm afraid I've already interrupted your interview. That was rude of me, but you did tell me to bring it. And nobody said you had to keep your phone on, so it's totally your fault._

_Okay, since you asked so nicely, I'll never let you go. You're stuck with me, buddy, so you're just going to have to deal with it. I hope the rest of your interview goes well and without incident. If it's necessary, I'll testify to the fact that you don't need Viagra, you just need me. I love you, too._

I closed my app with a grin. WIFED. Why that was a word I didn't know. I grabbed my laptop and looked it up. Perfect. According to urban dictionary, it meant you were taken by someone and in a meaningful relationship with them. That was us, for sure.

Xoxoxoxox

It was fairly late when my phone rang. He was finally home. "Hi!" I answered.

"Hi, troublemaker." His sexy voice was teasing.

We both laughed. "You told me to bring it."

"And you sure did broughten it. I know better than to send you pictures now."

Oh no, that was unacceptable. "That's not cool! I want pictures!"

He laughed again. "So do I, baby. Lots more just like the one you sent me. My t-shirt covered more of you than your gray one does though."

Of course he wanted more skin. "Well, I wanted you covering me."

Edward groaned into the phone. "Damn, baby, I want that, too."

"Soon, Edward. Very soon." Five fucking weeks.

"I know."

"So how did it go?" I asked. I'd have to tell him about my talk with Dad about Mom but I wasn't in the mood to do that today. Today was all about his interview.

I smiled. "Really well, I think. The reporter pushed me but I only gave her a little information. I refused to give your name or how we met beyond saying we met through family."

Well, that wasn't exactly untrue. Our physical meeting was due to family. His and mine. "In a way, we did."

"Exactly. It's not a lie. Of course you sending me that picture clued her in to the fact that I might have someone in my life. She said she never saw me smile like that before."

Just hearing that made me smile. "I love to make you smile."

"You do all the time," he told me.

"That's a very good thing. I think that-" My door burst open and Alice started talking. "What?"

"Oh my God, there's something coming up about you on _E!"_

About me? What? How? Already? "Um, Edward, I think you should turn on _E!"_

I hurried into the living room and plopped down with my girls. There was a commercial on and I heard Edward's TV snap on in the background. "You want me to know what the Kardashians have coming up?" he asked, sounding annoyed. Silly Edward.

Ryan Seacrest appeared out of the commercial break. "A certain Hollywood hunk is apparently off the market. Word leaked today that Edward Cullen is dating someone, although he's not saying who at this point. He discusses his new relationship and a whole lot more in next month's issue of _Rolling Stone._ Who's the lucky lady? I'll be talking to Edward on my radio show on Thursday so stay tuned."

"Wow," I muttered. They were talking about me. Me, Bella Swan, on _E!_ It was so strange. I knew Edward was famous and everything but I wasn't and I was the mystery girl that Ryan Seacrest was talking about.

Edward groaned. "What?" he asked me, apparently having heard my comment.

"It's just surreal, you know? They're talking about me. Ryan Seacrest is talking about your girlfriend and that's me. It's…it was easy to forget when it was just the two of us alone."

"Are you sorry I said anything?" he asked, sounding nervous.

"Oh, Edward, are you crazy? Of course not. I'm sorry that you're going to get a lot of attention for awhile. Maybe you should have Emmett get arrested again."

"No way!" Rose yelled, throwing a pillow at me.

Edward laughed. "I'm used to it, Bella. Kate'll be the one that fields all the calls and the majority of questions. I can handle Seacrest and anybody else though." Yes, he was used to it. I was used to hearing people like Ryan talk about him, but that was before. Before he was mine. It was kind of cool to be the girl they were speculating over though.

"Of course you can handle him. He's like five feet tall and about half your weight."

Edward snickered. "True. You could probably take him, baby."

"We'll sic Rose on him if he causes any trouble." That got her to grin and she pretended to be polishing her scalpel. We all laughed.

"That works."

Enough of my girls. I headed back into my bedroom and closed the door. "There, alone again."

"Are you sure you're okay with it, Bella?" he asked.

"I am. It's just weird seeing your picture on TV and thinking about you talking to Seacrest. I miss our little bubble." I would always want to be back in our own little world, but unfortunately, life didn't allow for that.

"I miss it, too, beautiful."

His voice was sort of sad. "Edward, stop worrying."

"I can't help it. When they find out about you…"

"When they find out about me, I can hold your hand on the red carpet. And we can go out to dinner in a fancy restaurant or a small town diner. We can walk on the beach and kiss in a park. Maybe there will be morons taking our picture, but it'll be us, Edward. That's all that really matters to me." Yes, I'd be giving my privacy up, but I'd be gaining a hell of a lot more. It was worth it.

"They don't always hide in trees and give you distance, baby."

I was well aware. I had a ton of those pictures of him on my hard drive. It made me feel kind of bad that I did. "I know. But you'll be by my side, right?"

"Of course," he assured me.

"Well, that's all I need."

"You're all I need." God, he killed me.

"You have me." Always.


	49. Fine

Another day down. I'd managed to make it through Feminist Lit without an issue, mainly because Edward hadn't sent me a text, which was a good thing. Jess watched me like a hawk and kept looking at poor Todd as well, no doubt trying to assess if I'd been lying to her about us being a couple. I didn't know whether to feel bad for him or be offended that she thought he was all I could get. It was a tossup, really.

I hurried out of class before Jess got her stuff together and made my way to get my daily cup of coffee. No text from Edward, but I knew he had a lot going on today. He was meeting with his agent and going to work out with the infamous Alec. I was anxious to meet the guy that scared my Edward so thoroughly.

I got my cup and sat down, pulling up my _Words_ app to see if he'd responded to my WIFED. I smiled when I saw that he played VOW off of it. How perfect was that? I opened up the chat to see what he had to say.

**Alright, baby, I get it. I'm not allowed to whine about the hardships of my glamorous life while you're toiling away in a classroom. Every time I write that word, or think of it, I get all sorts of naughty images in my head just so you know. How sturdy are the desks in that room anyway?**

We'd break one, easily, but damn it would be fun doing so. My cheeks hurt from smiling at just his first lines.

**Can a picture of me really render you useless? At least you can play that off as being tired or something. Bree didn't comment, but I can assure you that your picture did something else entirely to me. I would have been quite useful if you'd been around, let me tell you.**

Damn it. Another hard on wasted. I needed him, damn it.

**I'll take your dirty and your sweet. Hmm, maybe that should be our song. You're dirty sweet and you're my girl. I like it!**

I giggled. It was rather fitting.

**Yes, baby, without a doubt, someday. I think my word shows you how very serious about that I am. I'm all yours and as you said, you're all I need. Since I can't take the other vow right now, I'll just say that I vow to love you forever. Talk to you soon, love.**

And now tears stung my eyes at how sweet he was. If there was a more perfect man on the planet, I'd sure never heard of him. I flipped back to the game. My letters kind of blew, but the closest thing I could get to playing a word that related to him was FINE, and he sure was that, so that's what I played.

_I don't think those flimsy desks in my lit classes could take us, but it'd be worth a few splinters to try. Or we could just break into one of Rose or Alice's labs and use something there. Those tables are mighty sturdy. You could fuck me as hard as you wanted on one. Was that a little too forward?_

_I wish I had been there to help you with your not so little problem during your interview, baby. But then she'd be writing something entirely different and more than a little X-rated. Penthouse might pick up that article._

_I think that song works for us very well. I don't know that that's one I'd want our parents and children to know about someday though. We'll keep that between us. Along with Closer by Nine Inch Nails and Sexual Healing by Marvin Gaye and Do Me by Bel Biv Devoe among others. Oh, and don't forget Freak Me._

_Do you know that you made me all horny and worked up only to make my heart melt with your sweet words? I love your vows, now and the one that'll come one day in the not so distant future. I'll love you forever too, handsome. See you very soon._

"I don't think I've ever seen anybody smile at their phone quite like that."

I looked up in surprise and saw Colin smiling at me. I closed my _Words_ app and focused on him. "Hi, Colin, how are you?"

"Pretty wiped out. If you're thinking about going into law school, think again. Three days back and I'm buried in briefs and tortes. I'd ask how you were but I don't think I have to."

Damn Mike Newton. "Yeah, word gets around I guess."

He laughed and gestured toward the chair across from me. I gave him a nod. Why not? "Even if word didn't get around, your expression says it all for you. You look really happy."

I smiled. "I really am."

"So I take it things worked out the famous guy?"

I bit my lip and looked around nervously. He hadn't said it too loudly but if someone like Jess was lurking she'd hear him. I was pretty sure she had sonar when it came to gossip. "You could say so."

Colin's white teeth flashed at me. "Good. I take it you still can't tell me who it is?"

I shook my head. "Not right now. You may figure it out due to something I can't name but if you do, well, could you please say nothing?"

Colin held up a hand. "Your secret's safe with me. It's nice to see you smiling again."

"Thanks. Did you have a good break?" I asked.

He shrugged. "It was a break from school but not from the office. So I was still around."

That blew. "Sorry to hear that."

He laughed. "It's okay. I like working at my dad's firm and I'll be starting there full time once I graduate next month. I'm excited to start the next phase of my life."

So was I. But what phase was it? "That's great, Colin. It must be nice to have something lined up."

"It definitely is. Nothing like a little nepotism, right? What about you? You're going to grad school?"

I shrugged. "That's the plan."

The grin flashed again. "You don't sound too excited about it."

"Things have changed since I made that plan and it's hard to decide whether to go with it or to follow my heart."

Colin nodded. "I guess I can see that. But if your heart isn't in what you're doing, what's the point of doing it?"

He had a point. "I've got time to figure it out."

"Then you will." He stood and grabbed his cup. "I've got to get to class but I wanted to say hi. Hopefully I'll see you around but if not, Happy Graduation."

I grinned and waved. "Same to you, law boy. Take care."

He left and I sat for awhile and pondered his words. I knew where my heart was. It was a thousand miles away in California and soon would be even further away in Berlin. Did I want to leave it behind after the summer was over? That answer was easy, too. Maybe it was time for me to step off the path and pull a Frost and take the road less traveled. I'd think about it.

Xoxoxoxoxox

**Stay off TMZ today, baby.**

I frowned down at the text message from Edward. Why? Was there already a rumor about him and some girl? Surely he had to know that I was going to check it out. I hurried into my room and turned on my laptop. I pulled up TMZ and screeched when the first thing I saw was a big white ass.

**Cullen Cracks Our Lenses**

_While word has spread like wildfire about Edward Cullen no longer being Hollywood's most eligible bachelor, his paramour has remained elusive. Edward left home today in the company of his brother, with no female companion in sight. Emmett Cullen, stunt driver and infamous Hollywood bad boy, decided to let the moon out after paparazzi got a little too close for comfort outside of the gym. We also lay witness to some brotherly love (see picture below) but no lady love. We'll keep our ears perked but might keep our eyes averted if big brother's around!_

I tore my eyes away from Emmett's ass and giggled at the picture of Emmett kissing a very surprised and annoyed looking Edward on the cheek. Maybe he could distract the press without getting arrested. "Rose! You might want to see this!" I shouted.

She came out of her room looking annoyed. "What? I have a test in an hour and…" I flipped my laptop around and she screamed. "Oh my God! That ass looks entirely too familiar. Tell me he didn't."

"Well, if I told you that I'd be lying so…" That made her scream again and she grabbed my laptop.

She read the article and closed her eyes. "I'm going to tan that white hide of his. What did I tell him about being on TMZ without me?"

"You told him not to get arrested without you. And as far as I know, he didn't get arrested. I think they would have mentioned it."

"Moron. That ass belongs to me, along with the rest of him." She glanced at the laptop again. "It is a fucking fine ass, though, isn't it? And I love that he kissed Edward. He looks so pissed off."

I giggled. "He does but Emmett succeeded in distracting them from their mission to out me, if only for a moment."

Rose smiled proudly. "He's a pretty great guy, even if he is showing his ass to the entire world, isn't he?"

"Does that mean you won't kick his ass?" I asked, taking my laptop from her and closing out of the site. I didn't need to see that anymore.

"Oh, I'm still going to kick it, but I'll give it a kiss after." She grinned as she headed out of my room.

"Holy shit, my dad's trolling TMZ for dirt on Edward. He's going to see that."

Rose giggled. "And he already hates Emmett from what you said. Should be fun at graduation. I can't wait for the Chief to defend my honor."

I laughed. "Hey, if he's defending yours he won't be too worried about mine. Win all around."

Rose shook her head. "Somehow I think he'll still find time to scare the shit out of Edward. It's going to be fun! I've gotta study. I'll pick up pizza on the way home tonight."

"Okay. Thanks," I replied absently.

I took out my phone and texted Edward back.

_My eyes!_

It wasn't long before I had a response.

**I told you not to go there! It's your own fault!**

_You knew I wouldn't be able to resist something like that!_

**Next time, heed my warning! Doing voiceovers now baby, I'll call you later.**

Maybe I would. My father would tell me if there was anything I needed to know. I giggled at the very idea. Charlie Swan, gossip king. It had a little ring to it.

Xoxoxoxoxox

Thursday

"What time is Edward supposed to be on Seacrest's show?" Alice asked.

"Somewhere around three I think," I told her. She turned on the radio. We had a half hour to go so we listened to music and Ryan's yammering while we waited. I hoped he wouldn't be too intrusive. Edward had assured me that Ryan was too much of a kiss ass to push him too hard but apparently we were a big story already. All the online sites were speculating about us and some had pictures of him smiling at various women and wondering if they were me. It was so weird.

"Edward Cullen will be with us after the break." I perked up and put my book aside. Alice bounced her way over to the sofa to be closer to the stereo or something. It didn't make sense but I joined her anyway.

"This is so exciting! Do you think he'll declare his undying love on air?"

I laughed. "I doubt it. He doesn't want to say too much and he said he told _Rolling Stone_ as much as he was going to tell anybody. I'd rather he save his undying love declarations for me."

Alice giggled. "Still, isn't it amazing? Just two months ago we were sitting on this couch talking about what a sexy beast Edward was and now he's yours! The normal world just doesn't work this way." She pouted. "Hey do you think Edward could introduce me to Ryan Reynolds or Ryan Gosling or…Leo?" Her gray eyes were wide and pleading. There was my Alice.

"I suppose he could one day, if we go down there. I thought you were holding out for Jasper."

Alice smiled. "I'm talking to Jasper and I'm enjoying it very much. But I have to live my life until I'm able to be with him, if we decide that we want that down the line. So if I could live my life in the sexy arms of one of the Ryan's or Leo, more's the better."

She had a point. "I'll see what I can do."

"This is Ryan Seacrest and I'm on the phone with the one and only Edward Cullen. Hello, Edward."

"Hi, Ryan. Thanks for having me." I grinned as his smooth, sexy voice came over the radio. I could listen to him for hours, no lie.

"Oh, we're very excited." Ryan sounded it. "You've been the talk of the town for the past couple of days."

Edward's rich laugh filled the line. "Yeah, it's been a little hectic since you mentioned me on _E!"_ Uh oh. I heard a little anger in his tone.

"You've been single since your split with Irina last year so it's pretty big news."

"Dating wasn't a priority for me. I guess what they say is true, love comes along when you're least expecting it." Tell me about it. I sure wasn't expecting my message on _Words_ to lead to this.

Ryan laughed. "Maybe that's what my problem is." Right, like we care who you're dating, Ryan? "So, what can you tell us about the mystery lady in your life?"

"Just that she makes me happier than I've ever been and she's not in town so the people looking for pictures of the two of us together are going to be disappointed." Alice was bouncing up and down on the couch next to me and I was grinning like an idiot.

"So, you won't even tell us a name? What does she do?" Nothing at all interesting, Ryan, trust me on that.

"No. She's not in the business; that much I'll say."

"How'd you meet then? It's hard to meet someone not in the business around here."

"You wouldn't believe it if he told you!" Alice shouted. I hushed her so I could hear.

"Yes, it is. I do have one thing I can tell you about her."

"What's that?" he asked. Yeah, what was it?

"She loved _Wild at Heart._ " I giggled as Edward swung the conversation back to its original purpose. My man was good.

"Er, yes, well we all did. It's done very well at the box office hasn't it?" Ryan sounded completely flustered and nervous. Good, he deserved it.

"Yes, I'm thrilled with the love it's gotten from fans. It's always scary to try something new and hope the audience will respond to it. I want to thank all those who have seen it and continue to go see it even now."

"It's a great movie. I've heard some Oscar rumblings." Really? That was fabulous.

"It's too early in the year to predict something like that but I'm honored people think the film is worthy of that kind of attention."

"And you're heading out to film the next _Steele_ movie soon?"

"Yes, principle shooting starts next weekend." There was a slight pause. "I'm actually with wardrobe right now and they're telling me I need to get a move on. Thanks so much for having me on your show today, Ryan."

"Anytime, Edward. And I look forward to seeing you and your new lady on the red carpet next year."

Me, on the Oscar red carpet? Dear God. "That's a ways off but I look forward to that as well. Thanks, Ryan."

"Thanks, Edward."

Alice squealed. "That was great! And oh my God, next year you're going to be on his arm while he wears a tux and you wear some stunning designer gown and you have to take me with you when you shop for it, I don't care if I'm working, I'll be there and we're going to have a hell of a time and I can go with the Ryan's and Leo and…"

"Alice, breathe!"

She took a deep breath and grinned at me. "Can I help you pick out your dress, please?"

I laughed. "As long as you promise to keep the screeching down to a minimum, sure. It's not something we need to worry about right now."

"Oh, Bella, how wrong you are. We need to be thinking about the dress well in advance. I'll watch every award show and make sure you're not duplicating anybody and see what the trends are and everything. You'll be the most beautiful girl there with the sexiest man. I can't wait!"

I grinned at her enthusiasm. "Well I'll probably need the whole year to wrap my head around the idea of it, but I'm damn well going to enjoy it when it happens."

"Hell yes, you are. And my three hot dates will no doubt keep me very busy."

I snickered. "Back to dreaming big, Ali?"

"Always. It worked for you!"

That it had. Better than even I could have dreamed.

Xoxoxoxoxox

Friday

"Bella! Get your ass in here!" Rose's shout had me wondering what in the hell was going on now. Which one of our guys was on TMZ now? I hurried into the living room and stopped when I saw three huge baskets sitting on the dining room table. Alice had her hands behind her back, no doubt to keep from ripping into it before I came out.

"Is that from Mrs. Cullen?"

"It sure as hell looks like it. I see fucking champagne. Win! On the count of three!" Rose ordered. I hurried in front of the one that had apparently been designated for me and smiled when I saw the tag that said Bella. "Three, two, one, go!" Rose shouted and we all tore in.

"Cristal!" Alice danced around with her bottle held aloft.

"I don't know who the motherfuck Richart is but it's chocolate therefore I love it," Rose declared.

I ran my hands over the soft mint green robe and socks that that were underneath the champagne and chocolate. It was the softest thing I'd ever felt in my life. "Is this cashmere?"

Rose held up her blue robe and buried her face in it. "Sure as hell feels like it. Fuck Emmett, I'm marrying his mother."

I giggled as I pulled out a piece of paper. Ananya Spa? Oh my God. A full weekend, pre-paid, of pampering and facials and all that stuff. "Um, it looks like we're going to a spa, ladies."

Alice and Rose both stopped dancing and grabbed their gift certificates. "Holy fuck. It's for two days! I really am in love with her." Rose dropped into a chair and stared as us in wonder. "This is for real, right? She had to have spent a fortune on this and she doesn't even know us."

"Emmett told you that she'd make you part of the family. It looks like she's doing that for all of us."

"Even me and I'm not hooked up with one of her sons." Alice's eyes got all teary. "We have to thank her."

"I'll get her address and phone number from Edward and we'll send her thank you notes or something. I don't think…" I broke off when Rose let out a sex moan. "What the hell?"

"The chocolate. Eat one." Alice and I exchanged glances and dug into our boxes. It was heart shaped with raspberry swirls in it. I bit in and yeah, I may have let off my own porn moan. "Yep, I'm marrying her instead. Emmett would never think to get me chocolate. He can be my sex on the side."

We all laughed. "I don't want to marry her but I sure think I love her."

"This is what mothers should be like," Rose decided, wrapping herself in her blue robe. Alice's was pink. It was like the woman knew us.

Mothers. Yes it was what mothers should be like, though I had a feeling Mrs. Cullen went bigger than most mothers did. Still, it got me thinking. I needed to see about my own mother. Maybe she'd surprise me just like Mrs. Cullen had.

Xoxoxoxoxox

I didn't tell the girls what I was going to do, because I knew Rose would probably have a fit and both of them would insist on sitting with me when I did it. I could face my mother alone, thank you very much. Though I wished Edward was next to me. I took a deep breath and hit her name. The phone rang twice before she picked up.

"Bella? Is that you?"

"Yeah, Mom, it's me."

"How are you? Oh, my God, you'll never believe how I am! I'm wonderful! I'm dating this investment banker named Paul. He's thirty-seven, rich, sexy as hell and he's got a boat! You should come visit! I'll take you out on it."

Lord. Well at least he was older than the last one. "How old does he think you are?" She never admitted to being in her forties.

"Thirty!" She giggled. "Can you believe it?"

No, I really couldn't. Investment banker Paul must not be very bright. "Well, I'm glad you found someone you care about."

"Oh, Bella, you're such a romantic. We have fun, but it's not like I'm going to marry him. Well…maybe if he asked. He does have a lot of money." Good God, how were we related? I was so glad my dad had raised me.

"Right, Mom. Well, I was actually calling for a reason." I took another deep breath. Just say it. "I'm graduating in a little over a month, you know?"

"Of course! How could I forget? I've already been shopping." Oh, no. "You're still a size six, right?"

No, no clothes. "I am, but really you don't have to get me anything."

"Nonsense! My baby's going out into the real world and she needs to take it by storm. I know just the outfit."

I knew better than to argue. I'd just give the thing away, or let Alice play with it. "Thanks, Mom. Anyway, what are you doing on May fifth?"

"May, May, oh yes! I'm going to New York with Paul! We're doing it up big for two weeks, staying at the Four Seasons, going to clubs and some play on Broadway and all that great stuff. You should come! Of course you'd have to be my sister instead of my daughter. No way could I pass for thirty with you being my kid. You could call me Renee! It'll be a laugh!"

I closed my eyes and rubbed my forehead. "I can't come to New York. I've got graduation."

"Blow it off! Who wants to sit in a smelly old gym with thousands of people only to hear a name called for a couple seconds? Come to New York, we'll have a blast! Paul has a little brother. He's thirty-five and super hot! You could totally go for him."

Was she my mother or my pimp? "Mom, I have a boyfriend who I'm going to Europe with after graduation. Thanks for the offer though." And that was that. I wasn't inviting her to my graduation after hearing her opinion.

"A boyfriend? Not that asshole who knocked up that girl, right? Because you can't compete with a baby mama, Bella. Trust me I've been there."

Jesus. Who was this woman? "No, Mom, not Tyler. I met someone else and I love him very much."

"Bella, you're so young. Don't be like me and commit to the first guy that you fall for. It only leads to heartache and dissatisfaction." Damn it. Did she know realize that was my father she was talking about? "If I had it to do over again I'd get my jollies while I was young instead of now. I can only pass for thirty for so long."

I realized my fist was clenched and sought to unclench it. Why not just come out and say she wished she'd never had me? "I'm not you, Mom. And I'm very happy with my boyfriend."

"Well, at least he's taking you to Europe. Does he come from money?"

Enough of this. "Mom, I have to go. I hope you have a good time in New York."

"I will, baby! Send me post cards from Europe! And keep your eyes open for hot men with accents." Huh, maybe that's where my fetish came from. "I'll send you a present soon! Love you! Bye."

And she was gone. And I was an idiot to call her. Well, it was done now. I sighed and got out my laptop. I had someone much better to talk to. I was a couple minutes late thanks to my mother. My fault for thinking we could have an actual adult conversation.

I connected to Skype and smiled when I saw his beautiful face come into view.

"Hi, handsome." Put it away, Bella. This is your time with Edward.

His smile faded. "What's wrong, baby?"

He knew me too well. "Nothing. I'm not going to let her ruin tonight."

A look of concern moved over his face. "You called her, didn't you?"

Of course he knew. "Yeah. It went just how I expected it would." I sighed. "I'm not going to let it ruin our night, though. It's great to see you again."

"It's great to see you, too, always, but if you think we're not going to talk about whatever she said that put that look in your eyes, you're wrong."

Damn it. "Tonight isn't supposed to be about that."

"Maybe not, but it's supposed to be about us and whatever's bothering you bothers me, baby. That's how it works. Tell me what happened."

"I called her and as usual, the conversation was all about her." I couldn't get over it. "She's dating some guy who thinks she's thirty." I laughed, so ridiculous. "Apparently he's loaded, which she loves. Whatever. I mentioned graduation and she has plans to be in New York with him that week, but she invited me to come along. Apparently he has a thirty-five year old brother that would be perfect for me." Edward's face at that little bit of news was priceless.

"And what did you say to that?" he asked, glaring.

Only he could make me laugh now. "What do you think I said? Get me a plane ticket? Please, Edward. I told her that I was seeing someone that I loved very much so I wasn't interested." I rolled my eyes. "She told me I'm much too young to settle down and that I was graduating and going out into the real world so I should leave school boys behind. Oh, and she said that I'd clearly have to pretend to be her little sister since she was only thirty. I could call her Renee instead of Mom. Like she's ever been one." That was a joke and a half.

"I'm sorry, baby. I shouldn't have encouraged you to call her."

Oh, no. I wasn't letting this get us down. "Don't be. If I didn't try, I would have wondered if I should have reached out and tried to make things different. At least now I know."

Edward's green eyes were swimming with emotion. "I wish I could make it better." He did, just by being him.

"You do." I smiled for him. "The part that bugged me the most was what she said about you. Well, not you specifically, since I didn't tell her who you were, but her insistence that I was too young to be in love and settle down." I laughed, still not believing it. "She married my dad when she was my age and had me shortly after. She came just short of saying she regretted it. It's not like I didn't know that, but to hear it be confirmed was more or less a slap in the face."

Edward's eyes turned hot. "She couldn't possibly regret having you, Bella. No matter how fucked up her priorities are, she does care about you. She wanted to spend time with you, even if you had to pretend to be her little sister to do it." His smile was there, albeit not all the way to his eyes, but I laughed as he intended.

"I guess. I just let myself think it would be different. It's kind of your mom's fault."

He looked confused. "My mom? How could it be her fault?"

I shook my head. "Don't go getting upset, I'm not attacking your mom. I'm complimenting her." Tears pricked my eyes and I thought of how amazing she was. "We got her presents today and she's just amazing, Edward. Really. The fact that someone that didn't even know me could send me something so sweet, so perfect…it just made me think that maybe my mom could get it right too. It was stupid."

"No, baby, it wasn't stupid. Your mom should be like mine. I'm sorry that she's not. What did my mom send you anyway? She wouldn't tell us a thing."

I grinned and moved the computer so he could see my sock covered foot. "These, for one, along with the softest matching bathrobe I've ever seen. Champagne, chocolates, a gift certificate to the fanciest spa in town; it was high class all the way. Rose wants to dump Emmett and just run off with your mother."

We both laughed and I felt better already. "And do you?"

I giggled and pretended to think about it. "It's a close call, but I think I'll keep you."

"Damn right you will, baby. I'm glad Mom sent you guys something you could use."

More than that, she'd gotten us something that showed that she cared. "She did. Green for me, blue for Rose and pink for Alice. Did you tell her what colors to get?"

Edward shook his head. "No, she did that all on her own. I didn't know anything about what she was sending."

"Well, she nailed us all. Rose and Ali have already booked us for the spa next weekend." That was their plan when I headed into my room anyway.

He grinned. "That's great, love. I hope you have a good time." He paused and his grin faded. "You're getting massages and whatnot, right?"

Hell to the yes we were. "That's part of the package."

"Man or woman masseuse?"

Was he serious? Jealous of a masseuse? "Does it matter?"

"Uhhhh…"

Oh ye of double standards! "Did you have some woman putting you in and out of clothes yesterday, Mr. Cullen?"

He grimaced. "That was work, baby."

"Such a tough job you have." I'd be thrilled to be pampered and shoved in front of a camera all day.

He shot me that lopsided smile of his. "It is, but someone's gotta do it. Plus, it's different. It's more like getting fitted from a tailor, not felt up by some muscle bound man named Sven who'll let his fingers slip to places only allowed to be touched by me."

How cute was he? I giggled. "Sven? Where'd you get that one?"

"Some movie I imagine. So, man or woman?"

I had no clue. "I won't know until I get there. But I can assure you whether it's Sven or Svetlana, there won't be any wandering fingers."

His lips puckered in a pout so adorable it should be illegal. "It better be Svetlana."

I laughed. "And what if she cops a feel? Does that make it any better?"

His cheeks colored slightly. "Um…"

"Pervert." And I was taking that as a signal to get this night back in the direction it was supposed to go before stupid non-mothers sidetracked it. I set the computer on the bed next to me and let him see just how little I was wearing. Socks and the t-shirt completed my look for the evening. Edward's eyes widened and his nostrils flared. "So, you don't want anybody to touch me but you?" I asked, trailing my fingers across my stomach.

"I would prefer it that way, yeah." His voice was getting that rougher, sexier quality it always was when he was turned on.

"So, then you don't want me touching myself?" I asked as I lifted my hemline a little, showing him more leg.

"No, that's allowed," he said eagerly.

I wanted to laugh but didn't. "Really? I wouldn't want to do anything that you didn't want me to do." I raised his shirt a little higher and scraped my fingers along my thigh.

"I want you to, baby. Are you sure that…"

No, no doubt allowed. "I'm sure, Edward. I want to enjoy this night with you. Who knows how long it'll be before we have this kind of time again?"

He still looked hesitant. "Make me forget." You're all I need to drive the hurt away. Let me enjoy tonight.

His eyes widened. "Of course, love. You know I want you. Anything in particular you want tonight?"

That was an easy question to answer. "Just you, Edward. It's always just you."

Green eyes sharpened and the look on his face was nearly deadly he was so sexy. "I'm all yours."

"Show me," I asked, nibbling on my lip. He smiled and set the computer down, pulling off his shirt and then his boxers, freeing his already hard cock. Mine.

"See, baby? See how excited you get me?"

I licked my lips. So beautiful. "Uh huh." My turn. I slowly brought the t-shirt up my body, loving the way his eyes were so focused on me. I pulled it off and set it next to me, because I could still smell him on the material. "It still smells like you," I informed him, smiling.

He made a sexy sound, a sort of growl. "I love that my scent is on you, baby."

"Me, too. I can pretend like you're here."

"I want to be. More than anything." He sounded as desperate as I was.

"I know." I grinned suggestively. "Are you sure there won't be any interruptions?"

His laugh made me shiver. "Yes. Emmett's at some charity auction with my mother."

Ha! I bet he hates that. "He can't be happy about that."

Edward chuckled. "It's his punishment for kidnapping me and scaring my mother."

I had to laugh. "He shouldn't be punished for that."

"Believe me; he's going to milk me for all I'm worth to make up for it." He grinned. "But now I'm all alone and have you to myself, just like I like it."

"Yeah? And what would you like to do with me?" I watched him as I ran my hand over my chest.

"Everything, baby. I want to touch you and taste you and make love to you for hours."

Sounds perfect to me. "Where do you want to touch me, Edward?" I ran my finger over my breast.

"Right there, baby."

"Like this?" I skimmed my knuckles across my nipple and felt the pull as it tightened.

"Harder," he encouraged me. I pinched and rolled it and that got him to take that big, beautiful cock of his in his hand. "Yeah, just like that." I pinched and pulled the left nipple as well. "You're so gorgeous, Bella."

Because of him. He brought it out of me. "You make me feel that way. I want your cock, Edward."

He groaned. "It's yours."

"I want it in my mouth."

"I love when you wrap those beautiful lips around me, baby," he grunted as he started to move his hand over himself.

"I know you do. And you like it when I hum like this." I hummed and Edward looked like he was ready to come.

"Damn, Bella. You know I do. Where do you want my mouth?" His tongue came out to wet his lips and I wanted it so bad.

"On my…"

He interrupted me quickly. "Don't tell me, baby. Show me."

Ask and you shall receive, Cullen. I spread my legs wide and stroked my clit with my middle finger. "You want me to taste you, baby? I'd love to. Can you feel my tongue on you?"

Just the thought of that had my nerves singing. I nodded and leaned against the headboard, starting to work my clit. Edward got some of my lotion which made me smile and he began stroking his cock with more force.

It was hot, so hot. I loved his tongue, but I loved his cock more. "I want you inside me," I told him, sliding a finger inside me to show him just what I wanted.

"I want that more than anything, baby. Do you want me fuck you?" he asked, his voice rough, just like I wanted him.

"God yes," I managed as I slid another finger inside and started to fuck myself harder. Edward worked his cock with the same frenzy I was.

"I'm pounding into you, Bella. I'm so hard and you feel so good around me. So hot and wet. Can you feel it?" he demanded.

"Yes!" I gasped. "More. I miss your cock inside me." Only four days and it felt like months.

"I miss it, too, baby. I can't wait to be with you again. To feel you under me and around me and have you screaming my name. It's my name you scream, baby. Mine."

God, yes. Nothing made me hotter than hearing him call me his. "Fuck. Yes, Edward, all yours." I yelled his name as I came, my body stiffening and that feeling washing over me, that one I only ever felt with him. Edward called my name as he spilled all over his chest. So sexy. So beautiful. And all mine.

I laughed when I saw just how shaken he looked. "You look like you saw a ghost."

He shook his head and smiled. "Way, way better, baby. I'm going to have that image of you in my mind until I can see you like that again in person." He paused. "Um, am I going to be able to stay with you over graduation? I can get a hotel but…"

Seriously? "My father knows we just spent a week together and that I'm going to Europe with you. I don't think he can protest you spending the weekend at my place."

"Well, it's one thing for him to know and entirely another thing for him to see, love." He was too cute in his terror over my father.

"I'll protect you," I assured him.

He laughed. "Don't think I won't put you in front of me and into the line of fire if necessary."

Nice! "How very chivalrous of you." I slipped his t-shirt back over my head. Edward cleaned himself up and put back on his boxers but left his perfect abs uncovered for me to enjoy. Such a wonderful boyfriend.

"Okay, we'll both hide behind Emmett," he decided.

I loved it. "That sounds like a good plan. Throw him to the wolves."

"A bullet wound could only increase his legend."

"Maybe Dad could shoot him in the ass so the next time he moons the paparazzi he'll have something interesting for people to talk about."

Edward's delighted laugh made me giggle. "I'm going to tell Em you said his ass alone wasn't interesting enough."

"Rose was both amused and angry about the whole thing. She said something about tanning that white hide of his and I shut the rest out."

Edward shuddered. "Good plan, baby. I don't know about those two."

"Their room won't be near ours in the hotel, will it?" I hated to think about what we might hear.

"God, no. We'll put them at least three floors away," he assured me.

Thank God. "Good. I really can't wait, you know?"

"Me either, baby. Almost to four weeks now. We'll get there."

"We just have to get through meeting the families first." I was looking forward to it more and more. His mother was amazing. I knew Edward was still sweating it though.

"I'd go through it a million times to get to be with you."

The man made me melt. "I love you, Edward. Thanks for making everything better. Nobody cheers me up the way you do."

"That's my job from now on, baby. Day or night, if you need me, call. I'm going to have a PA who will be in charge of monitoring my phone at all times. He'll put you through to me, no matter what."

Sweet boy, I can't ask you to do that. "Edward, you don't have to do that."

"Yes, I do. You're the most important thing in my life, baby. So if you need me, I'm there."

He was so perfect. "Well, same goes for me. If you wake up lonely in that big hotel bed, you call me no matter how late it is here. I'd rather talk to you than sleep any day."

Edward smiled. "Well get through it, Bella. Just don't forget to send me your _Words."_

As if I could. "Never. They brought you to me after all."

"And that's why it'll always be my favorite game in the world."

Mine too. "Maybe you should become their spokesman."

He chuckled. "I could, but I'm not sharing our story with the world. That's ours, baby."

"Yes, it is. All ours and you're all mine."

"Always." He shifted on the bed and I knew it was time for him to go. He had to be up at the crack of dawn to fly to Germany. "I'll call you when I touchdown in Berlin, Bella."

"Good. Be safe and I'll see you soon."

"See you soon, baby. I love you." I told him I loved him and disconnected. He was going to feel even further away as of tomorrow, but we'd make it work. I swore it.


	50. Sore

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**Made it to Berlin, baby. I can't wait until you're here with me.**

Finally! I blew out a breath of relief. Why I was so nervous about his trip was beyond me. I guess just because he was even further away now. If something happened, it would take forever to get to him. I wish I was there with him as well. Right now.

_I'm glad you got there safe and sound. I can't wait until I'm there with you!_

"They made it," I told Rose and Alice. We were finishing up dinner when Edward's text came through.

"And Emmett didn't get arrested for smuggling porn or anything?" Rose demanded.

I laughed. Only Rose could make me laugh when I wanted to wallow. "If he was, Edward didn't mention it."

"Well, that's good, although he should have contacted me himself by now. Ass." Rose crunched her taco noisily. We'd declared tonight Mexican night and it was excellent.

"Enough Heineken. Time for the good stuff!" Alice danced into the kitchen and came back with a bottle of Cristal.

"That doesn't go with Mexican," I told her, laughing as she ignored me and poured.

"We're done with dinner, now we're going to toast the end of one more week. The home stretch has begun!" Rose and I clinked our glasses with her and went ahead and drank. Why the hell not? One less week until Edward was with me. That was something to celebrate.

"So what did DILF have to say?" Rose asked, her lavender eyes twinkling.

"He wasn't too happy about his latest foray onto TMZ." That set us all to laughing. "But maybe that'll teach him to stop trolling for gossip on Edward."

"Em's in so much trouble! I can't wait. I may not have to blister his ass myself. His mother probably already took care of it. Or Hot Officer Daddy will." She winked at me.

I shook my head. "He was more pissed with Mom's reaction to everything." I chuckled when I remembered the outrage in his tone. "But I think the thirty-five year old potential date made Edward look a bit better in his eyes."

"No doubt. I still say you should let me find that guy and out your mother." Rose grumbled into her champagne.

"Nah, let her have her fun. I don't want her here anyway."

"Damn right. We'll just hang with Mrs. Cullen," Rose decided. Her phone rang and she hopped up quickly. "That's my man! Later!"

And she was gone. Alice chuckled. "I've never seen Rose move like that for any guy before."

"I know. It's pretty awesome."

"Yeah, I'm happy for her. She's a bit looser now, although still a scary bitch."

I grinned. "That she is." We chilled in front of the TV for a bit and I fought the urge to call Edward myself. It was really late there. Hopefully he was sleeping. But damn I missed him.

My phone rang a little bit later and Alice nudged me. "Go talk to your man. See you later."

I didn't need to be told twice. I answered as I went to my room. "Edward? Hi!" I couldn't keep my excitement out of my voice.

"Hi, sexy. I miss you." Me sexy, ha. He was sexy. Uber sexy.

"I miss you, too. Isn't it around five in the morning over there?" I loved that he was calling but he was going to be exhausted.

"Yeah, but you know I'm still on Pacific Time. I can't sleep yet."

Good point. "Neither can Emmett. He called Rose about half an hour ago."

"Well, at least I held out longer than he did, right?"

"It's not a contest." I was just thrilled that I'd heard from him at all.

"How was your day?" he asked.

Compared to his? Pretty uneventful. "Nothing exciting. Did some studying and waited to hear from you. Oh, and I talked to my dad."

"Tell me there's no new gossip."

He sounded so nervous. I had to laugh. "About you? No, not so much. He did mention the reprobate's butt and possibly booting it, but there's nothing new about you."

Edward let out a sigh of relief. "Good, that's Emmett's problem."

"Yeah. I told him about Mom." At least he wouldn't ask me to invite her to anything again. He was too worried she'd bring a high schooler. Hmm, maybe I should tell Alice to warn Jasper to be on the lookout just in case.

"I bet that made him angrier than Emmett's ass did."

"Yeah, I'd say so. Of course Rose took it even worse." I giggled. "She got on her computer. I think she was looking for that Paul guy so she could tell him just how far away from thirty Mom really is. I told her to leave it alone, though. It's not worth it."

"No, it's not. You'll have all the mother you need with my mom, I promise."

That was the truth. "Tell me about it. We sent her a thank you card and some pictures of us in our robes and socks holding the champagne and chocolate. Hopefully she can see just how much we love our presents."

"She knows, baby. She's glad you liked them. Don't be surprised if something else shows up before it's all said and done."

"Well, that might not be a bad thing. We've already been in the chocolates and one of the bottles of Cristal. We're rationing though." Not that it was easy. That stuff tasted awesome.

Edward's warm laugh filled the line. "I'll send you more if Mom doesn't. You've got something coming from me this week."

I did? What on earth could he be sending? "I do? What?" I asked.

"You'll see when it gets there." His voice was slightly slurred. He must be tired. "I'm going to try to sleep, baby."

"You do that. I'll talk to you soon. Sweet dreams."

"Only if they're of you," he murmured.

He was too cute. "Always. Goodnight, Edward."

"Night, Bella."

Xoxoxoxoxox

Edward wasn't kidding. I came home from class and found a box sitting in the living room to Bella Swan from Lando Calrissian. I giggled madly as I tore into it. Only Edward. Maybe he should start using Ghostbuster names like his brother. Lando. My laughter died when I opened the box and found shirts. Lots and lots of shirts. Edward's shirts. I lifted a gorgeous blue Ralph Lauren button down and held it to my nose. It smelled like him! Oh, that sweet wonderful boy. I grabbed the box and ran into my bedroom, taking out my phone and texting him right away. I knew he was probably still filming now.

_I can't believe you sent me more shirts!_

I pawed through them, marveling at the soft material. God, I bet he looked amazing in the white button down. All these designers. All mine. I wasn't giving these back.

**I didn't want you to forget what I smelled like, so they're all gently worn.**

They wouldn't have been gently removed were he in the room with me.

_You know I would have been happy with just a t-shirt or two, right? You didn't have to send these expensive shirts._

But they were mine now! I'd have to hide them from Alice; she'd totally try to steal them.

**I like the thought of you in nothing but one of my button downs, baby. Let me have that mental image.**

Oh, Edward, I can do better than that. I quickly pulled off my jeans, t-shirt and bra and pulled on the white Yves St. Laurent or whatever it was, leaving it open and unbuttoned, just letting it cover the goods. God it felt amazing against my skin. I stood in front of my mirror and snapped a picture. It'd have to do since Rose wasn't home.

_Don't you want more than a mental one?_

I attached the photo and sat back to wait. I knew he'd love it.

**How am I supposed to go jump from a burning building when I've got a hard on the size of California, woman? What if Martin had seen that? I'd have had to kill him.**

Good Lord, Edward jumping from a burning building. Thank God for stuntmen. Martin was his PA. Like I'd send a pic without knowing Edward had his phone? Some credit, please.

_I wouldn't have sent it had we not been texting at the moment, silly boy. I know better. I'm sorry about the hard on though. How about I take care of that later? Call me when you get to the hotel._

I needed to take care of my man the way he took care of me. The fact that he'd taken the time to send me these shirts touched me more than I could say.

**Count on it, sexy. Back to filming. Put something on until I call. Then you can model that for me again. You're so gorgeous. I love you.**

Okay, Cullen, you have a deal.

_I love you, too._

Xoxoxoxoxox

"You are a naughty girl, Bella Swan." I grinned at his greeting the instant I got on Skype.

"Only for you, Edward Cullen." I'd do pretty much anything for you without a qualm.

"You should only ever wear that, baby." I grinned down at his white shirt.

"What, this old thing?" I traced my fingers over the silky material.

"Don't think I won't be on the net ordering those in bulk, Bella."

I giggled and sent him a kiss. He looked gorgeous, but his eyes showed me how tired he was. "Go for it. You look tired."

"Never too tired for you."

Yes, he was. Sweet boy. "You need your sleep."

"You're what I need."

Alright, then. I'll give you what you need and then you're going to sleep, baby. I nudged the shirt open, letting him get a view of the girls. "I'm all yours. Show me how you need me."

He shifted the computer and there he was in all his naked glory. I wanted to lick him all over. I had to settle for licking my lips, sadly.

"Very nice." He smirked which made me laugh. "Get your lotion. Or my lotion."

He held up the bottle and obediently squirted some into his hand. "Touch yourself. Pretend it's me touching you."

He palmed his cock and started moving his hand slowly up and down. So sexy. "Aren't you going to touch yourself, baby?"

Later. I wanted tonight to be about him. "No, this is all about you. You need to relax before bed."

He stopped moving. "Bella…"

"You'll take care of me over the weekend. Please, Edward. Let me see you."

He went to work again as I watched. I traced my fingers over my breasts a few times to keep him going. He came and looked relaxed, finally. "Thank you, baby."

I smiled. "Anytime, handsome. Get some sleep, now. You've gotta be sharp for tomorrow."

"I'll be relaxed for sure. I love you."

"I love you, too. Goodnight." Short but sweet. I'd done what I needed to do, satisfied my man and sent him to bed with a smile on his face.

Xoxoxoxoxox

Mandy had magic hands. They weren't as magical as Edward's, of course, but I was feeling no pain as she worked out the knots in my shoulder. Esme Cullen was a wonderful woman. I couldn't even begin to thank her for this amazing day. I'd been primped and pampered and spoiled beyond belief. I could learn to get used to this. It wouldn't take long at all. Edward brought even more perks into my life than I could ever have imagined.

Thinking of Edward made me miss him all the more and I slipped my phone out of the robe pocket I'd stashed it in. I had a little playing to do.

_Sven has hands that are pure perfection. I think they should be bronzed._

I stifled a laugh as I imagined the look on his face when he got my message. It didn't take long before the phone buzzed.

**I'll have all of Sven bronzed just like Han Solo was. Then those hands will be nowhere near my girl.**

He was so predictable. And of course he brought _Star Wars_ into it. So cute.

_Oops, maybe I got that wrong. Was Sven a girl or a guy? It's hard to tell, to be honest. She has very mannish hands. I'll call her female Sven._

Poor Mandy. Her hands weren't mannish, but they were strong.

**I don't know if that's actually any better. She's got that sexy body of yours under her hands; I know she's thinking about all the things she'd like to be doing to you. Just like I am.**

Ewww! Damn it, Edward. Now I'm worrying about her trying to seduce me or something.

_And now I'm not enjoying my massage anymore. Thanks a lot. I'm totally clenching in case hands wander anywhere they're not supposed to be._

You just stay away from the towel, missy.

"Relax, Bella. You're supposed to be getting less tense," Mandy scolded. Right. Relax. She wasn't going to do anything. Stupid cute Edward.

**You started it by taunting me with Sven, love.**

He had a point, but still.

_Okay, maybe I started it, but you ruined my massage! Not fair, Cullen._

I pouted into the table as she started to work on my calves.

**Relax and enjoy, Bella. How about I promise to give you a massage after we get back to Germany?**

Well, then, that was much better.

_Oooh, I like the sound of that. Will you be my own personal Sven?_

"What has you laughing over there?" Mandy asked. I bit back a moan and she massaged the arch of my foot.

"My boyfriend's just being silly."

She stretched my toes. So fucking good. "Well, I'm glad you're loosening up."

**I will, but I make no promises about wandering hands. Are you going to clench when I touch you, Bella?**

Never, Edward. I'm wide open for you.

_I think you could work out all my knots and make me relax in all sorts of wonderful and innovative ways, Edward. There will be no clenching, except when you make me come._

That was the best kind of clenching, as far as I was concerned.

**Then there will be a lot of clenching, baby, but the good kind. I can definitely deal with that. I can't believe you're texting about me making you come while some woman has her hands all over your naked body.**

Hey, a girl can't help where her mind wanders when her sexy boyfriend is promising massages.

_I had to find a way to enjoy my massage again. Thoughts of your hands did it. You should be honored._

Mandy switched legs. Massages were awesome. Sexual ones were better, but I had to wait a few more weeks for that to come true. Now I had even more to look forward to.

"It's nearly time for you to head out for your seaweed wrap," she told me as she rubbed my other foot.

_I'm off to have something called a seaweed wrap. It sounds disgusting but I'm assured it'll feel good. You'd feel better. Talk to you soon, handsome. Love you._

**Damn right I'll feel better than some slimy seaweed, woman. I'm off to come alone while you get felt up by random women (they better all be women). I'll talk to you tomorrow. Love you, too.**

I giggled as I pushed up from the table. Even if they were men, they wouldn't matter. He was all I wanted.

Xoxoxoxoxox

I was really hoping he wouldn't be perturbed but I just wanted him to start out his day with my voice. He got up at five AM every morning so that's when I called, well five his time, nine PM mine. I hated this time difference stuff. I hated FaceTime too but I was doing it for him.

"This is one heck of a wakeup call." There he was. He looked adorably rumpled and sleepy. I wanted to cuddle him. And bite him. And do all sorts of dirty things to him. Damn, I had problems.

"Oh, God, is it too early? You told me you got up at five so I just thought I'd start your day off with a hello before ending mine. Go back to bed. I'm sorry." It figures, I'd fucked up. Maybe the time difference was seven hours. I'd cost him some much needed sleep.

He rubbed at his eyes like a little boy and laughed. "No, it's not too early. And I do get up at five." An alarm blared startling us both. "See? You were much better to wake up to than that evil thing." He hit it and smiled at me, looking a bit more awake. "Morning, baby. Or I guess I should say, goodnight."

I laughed. I hadn't gone to bed yet and he was just getting up. It was weird. "In a bit. I thought it'd be nice to end the day with you, and let you start your day with me."

"The only thing I'd like more would be if you were actually in bed with me." His pout was too adorable for words.

I smiled. "But then you wouldn't want to get up and head to work."

He shook his head. "Leaving you would be hard, but coming back to you would make it all worth it."

The man was smooth, even at five AM. He should be illegal. "You're even perfect at five in the morning. It's sick, but I love it."

He laughed. "Perfect? My hair's sticking up in about twenty different directions and I'm sure I've got sleep wrinkles and whatnot."

No way. He was gorgeous. Sexily disheveled. I wanted him bad. "You're sexy and I want to tackle you and take you."

His smile got even brighter. "Anytime, baby, though I doubt you'd do it at five in the morning here. Tackling me at what, nine at night is a lot more fun."

"Tackling you at any time is fun." Anytime, anyplace, anywhere.

"You make it that way." He yawned and stretched and dear God there were muscles bunching up and sexy skin everywhere I could see. "What?"

"You. You're so gorgeous. All those rippling muscles and your tousled hair. I want to bite you."

He chuckled. "Someone's in a mood."

I hadn't been, but now I sure was. The little blue car was about to get some major use. "I wasn't until you answered the phone looking all rumpled and cute. Now I want you."

"I want you too, baby. Two weeks now."

It still seemed like forever, but we were closer at least. "Two weeks too long. But we're getting there, that's all that matters."

"I know. It'll be here before you know it."

"I can't wait." I knew he had to go so I blew him a kiss. "Go start your day, handsome."

"Go end yours, beautiful."

At least it ended with him. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

xoxoxoxoxox

We'd been a bit slack in our game playing since he'd left. I knew he was busy so I didn't say anything. I checked every now and then and eventually he played. LEG? Well, it was a body part anyway. I opened up the message.

**Baby, don't you know you could never be too forward to me? Bring on every dirty thought, naughty picture and sexy fantasy you can conjure and I'll take it all, happily. If anything, I'll beg for more. I'm not too proud to admit that either.**

Oh, Mr. Cullen, do you know what you're asking? Of course you do.

**You know, you mentioning Penthouse articles got me wondering just what kind of sexy scenario you could come up with. I bet you could destroy those naughty fantasies that people write into the magazine with. At least, I hear that's what's in there. I've never read it, personally. *grins innocently***

I laughed at that one. Liar!

**Your song list is quite impressive. Do you have those on your iPod baby? Do you listen to them and think of me? Tell me all about it!**

That and a lot more, Edward.

**You know, all your sexually charged words turn me on, but even more so, your promise of forever is what does it for me. You know that I want that, as soon as is humanly possible, right? I'll take you today, tomorrow, next year or in a few, whenever you want, as long as you're mine. Love you, so much.**

God, he was amazing. How was he mine? Not only was he the sexiest man in the world, but he was also wonderful. I was so happy he wasn't some secret asshole. We wouldn't be where we were today if he was.

What could I play? ROAR? He made me roar with pleasure? Haha No, that's not it. SOAR? He made my heart soar. Ooooh, SORE. That's the kind of SORE I prefer right about now. It'd been too long since I'd seen him last. I played SORE and flipped back to respond to him.

_You told me to bring the dirty, naughty and suggestive thoughts. I could have played SOAR or ROAR but I thought I'd play SORE because that's exactly how I intend for both of us to be after I get the chance to jump that sexy body of yours when I see you next._

_Not too much time left and I think it's clear that I'm getting a little antsy for you, handsome. I'm not quite sure if I'm going to be able to control myself in front of our parents. Maybe we could find a reason to leave them alone and run an errand. I'm in dire need of milk, or butter, or maybe we should just call it protein. You're perfect for my diet._

_Don't you rich guys have the ability to make time leap ahead or something? What's the point of all that money if you can't build a time machine? Tell Trump to stop buying new hair pieces and firing people and to get on that, won't you?_

_Alright, I'm through being silly. Just know that I'm naked, horny and in much need of my boyfriend. I hope you're reading this after you're done filming for the day. If not, sorry! I'll make it up to you. Love you!_

Xoxoxoxoxox

I don't know what made me do it. Morbid curiosity? A need to know what was being said about me even though what could they really say? Nobody knew who I was. So I did it. I went on one of the fan sites that had forums and saw a header that said New Girlfriend? I braced myself and went in.

_He could have any woman in the world and he settles for some nobody that we've never heard of? What's going on? He needs to get back with Irina. She, at least, looked good on his arm._

I blinked in surprise. How did she know how I looked on his arm? She didn't know a thing about me.

_Who is this bitch? Why can't I be that lucky? If Edward wants to slum it, I'm right here waiting._

Slum it? Maybe I wasn't some big celebrity but I wasn't exactly trailer trash or something.

_What happened to Jane? They're so beautiful together!_

That one wasn't that bad, I guess.

_Hey, who knows, maybe he's going to start dating fans one by one. I'll draw a number!_

You'll be waiting a long time, bitch.

_This whore needs to go down._

Whore? What the fuck?

_Did you see the girl in the picture? She was so plain, so nothing. I'm hotter than she is! Let's hope this phase doesn't last long. I want to see Edward on the red carpet with an A list celeb on his arm, not some nobody in a dress from K-Mart._

What the hell? I felt tears stinging my eyes as comment after comment seemed to deride me just for being with him. It didn't make any sense. Would I have said something like that if I wasn't the girl that Edward was with? Was I one of these fans? I'd hated Irina, yes, but that was because she screwed him over. If he was dating someone like Jane, and was happy, I would have been supportive. Jealous as hell but I wouldn't have trashed her online, would I?

"Hey, Bella, want to go get some…what the fuck is wrong with you?" Rose demanded.

I looked up at her and shook my head. "Nothing, it's just…these girls are trashing me online."

"Who?" she asked, fury moving over her face as she stormed over to my bed. "Is it Jess? Because I swear to fuck I'm going to flatten that bitch if she doesn't stop acting all superior and trying to pair you off with every loser on this campus."

"Not Jess. These fans of Edward's. Why would they say this stuff, Rose? They don't know me."

She grabbed my computer and started reading. I worried that the rage coming out of her eyes might melt my screen. "Fucking cuntwhores from hell. Who do these bitches think they are? How do I find out who the fuck they are? I'm going to hunt them down and beat their jealous asses into the ground. Damn it, who do we know that's good with computers? Why didn't any of us bone a nerd when we were single?" She started pounding away on my computer.

I had to give it to her. Two minutes in her presence and she had me laughing. "It's no big deal."

"Yes, it is. These bitches are going to hear from me if they can't hear from my fists. What shall my name be?" She thought a minute and then smirked. "Got it."

I glanced at the screen. "ScalpingYouAll? Rose!"

"What? They have it coming." She started typing.

_Just who do you pathetic bitches think you are? You're not worthy to be fans of Edward, let alone date him. How can you begrudge him his happiness? Why don't you go back to masturbating to his image on your screen because you sure as fuck don't have a chance in hell of him looking at you twice. Even if he wasn't happy with his girl, he'd never hook up with bottom dwellers like you who say terrible things about the woman he loves more than anything._

_I happen to know Edward and his girlfriend and I can tell you she makes him very happy. You're not fit to breathe the same air, or to talk about that which you don't know, only showing your absolute ignorance. And mark my words; he's not tossing her aside for the next fan, actress or musician that you think he should be dating. Be real fans and support the guy you claim to love. Or jump ship and go find the next flavor of the month. This one's taken. And I will be directing him to this site so he can see what jealous, evil harpies claim to love him. I can promise he'll hate you as much as I do._

_Go back to your fat, disinterested husbands…wait, who am I kidding? Go back to your pint of ice cream and your seven cats. The weird guy across the street won't look at you and neither will Edward. Have fun being big bad internet bullies. That's all you'll ever be. Pathetic cunts._

"Jesus, Rose."

"What?" She glared at the screen again as she hit post. "They're just lucky I was civil."

"You call that civil?"

She grinned. "I didn't threaten to break out my scalpel, did I?"

"No, that's true." I laughed.

She slapped my laptop closed. "You're banned from the internet."

I laughed. "You can't ban me from the net."

"I can. I'll go find one of those nerds and have him put some kind of lock on your computer."

"I won't go on those sites again. Lesson learned."

Her eyes softened. "Good. I don't want anybody hurting you. There's going to be a lot of jealous bitches out there when you're out with Edward. You need to just say fuck it and enjoy your life, you know?"

She was right. "I know."

"Do you want to go to the mall with me? I need some more clothes for Europe."

Sure she did. "I would, but I've got a Skype date with Edward in a couple minutes."

"Well then. Shake it off and go have fun with stud boy. Don't let those bitches ruin your time with him." She threw me a wave and headed out. I took a deep breath and tried to calm down as I opened my computer and logged into Skype. No more fan sites for me.

"Hi, beautiful." His smile was nearly enough to get me smiling again. Nearly.

"Hi." Why would they say that stuff? Why?

Edward's smile faded. "What's wrong, baby?"

I had to tell him. I couldn't put it aside until I did. "I did something stupid."

"What did you do?" He looked so nervous. I felt the tears starting again and tried to force them to go away. Rose was right. I needed thicker skin. "What, baby?"

"I went on the net."

He sighed. "And?"

"They're calling me a whore and a bitch and all this other stuff."

He sat up and looked murderous. "Who, Bella? Who made you sad?"

"Your fans! Why would they say that? They don't know me."

He sighed and shook his head. "Bella, you're right. They don't know you. They're just jealous and lashing out. This is why I don't look myself up on the internet."

I brushed a tear away. I wasn't going to cry, damn it. "I know. I knew better. I just got curious. The tabloids have been pretty quiet other than that picture they posted of you with that girl."

Edward rolled his eyes. "Ah yes, my torrid exchange with the woman who brought me coffee on the set. You know not to listen to a word of that stuff, baby."

I did. That hadn't bothered me. This did, but I wasn't going to let it bring me down. Fuck those girls. "I know. And I don't believe any of it, but it hurts that people would say that about me."

"I'm sorry, love. If I could do anything to make it stop, I would." He sounded so frustrated. I had to make him feel better.

"There's nothing you can do." I tried to smile. "Rose logged on and went off on them, though."

Edward's eyebrow went up. "That doesn't surprise me. What did she say?"

"She called them all jealous bitches who weren't fit to breathe the same air as me and told them to go back to masturbating to your picture because that's the closest they'd ever get to you."

That made him laugh. "That's pretty gross, baby. I don't want to think about that."

I giggled. "You know it happens." He glared at me and I laughed again. "She also called them pathetic excuses for human beings and said even if you weren't in love with me; you'd never be interested in people who blindly hated the person you loved most in the world."

Edward smiled. "She's damn right and pretty fucking awesome. If I knew who they were, I'd tell them to their faces, baby."

I shook my head. "I doubt they'd hear a word you said and I'd rather not go to jail for beating them off of you."

"I'm sorry, love. I really wish you hadn't seen that."

It was my own fault. "No, it's good that I know, I guess. You told me it wasn't going to be easy and they don't even know who I am yet. I can only imagine that it'll get worse when they do."

Edward groaned. "If they're truly my fans, they'll be happy to see how happy I am with you. If not, then fuck them, baby. They can't touch us if we don't let them. And I'm not going to let them."

That's right. "I know you won't. And I won't look again. Rose already banned me from the internet."

He chuckled. "I don't know that you need to go that far, but please know that they don't speak for the majority of my fans. There are always extremes."

"I know. Some of them really want you with Jane or back with Irina." I giggled at the look of disgust on his handsome face. "I guess they don't find some nobody to be a good match for you."

His eyes narrowed. "Don't you dare call yourself some nobody. You're everything to me. You know that."

I sniffed away the snot and tears. No more. "I know. I never for one second doubted you, Edward."

"Good, baby. All we need is each other, right? And maybe Rose and her internet rages."

Damn right, Rose was all we needed on our side, and we had more than that with Emmett, the Cullens, Alice and my dad. "She created a screen name called ScalpingYouAll."

Edward laughed. "She is one scary woman."

"Yep. Emmett will get excited by that one."

He groaned. "I don't want to think about it."

"What do you want to think about?"

"How about the fact that in three days I'm going to have you in my arms again?"

He was. I was so excited. That was something much better to think about. "I can't wait."

"Me either, baby. Are you counting them down?"

I giggled. "I've actually been doing it all along. I had a secret calendar that I crossed off at the end of each day." My Edward Cullen calendar, of course. What? He was sexy in it.

His smile turned devilish. "And just what calendar might that be?"

Oh no, I wasn't giving in that easy. "Baby?"

Okay, yes I was. He was too cute. "It might be a calendar of yours," I admitted.

His laugh was so sexy. "It might be, huh?

"Well, I figured it made sense to use a you calendar to count down the days until I saw you again."

Edward smirked. "It makes perfect sense. You know what?"

"What?" God I was embarrassing. Going to internet fan sites and having fan calendars of my boyfriend.

"I'm a little offended that I don't have a Bella calendar that I could have counted the days down on. We might need to do something about that."

Pervert. "It's not like you don't have plenty of pictures of me. You could have one made."

He smiled. "I could. I think we should make one together."

I knew what he wanted. Hell to the no. "Oh hell no, I'm not making a naked calendar for you."

"I didn't say it had to be naked, you were the one that went there."

He was such a liar, playing innocent. "I know how your mind works, pervert."

"That's because your mind goes right into the gutter along with mine most of the time."

"That's true." He was amazing. Just a small talk with him and I felt right again. "Thanks for making me laugh again."

"I already told you that was my job now. I take it very seriously. I love to hear you laugh."

"I love to hear you laugh, too. I love you, period."

"I love you." Always.

Xoxoxoxoxox

Any minute now and he'd be back on US soil and on his way to me. I was having a hard time remaining on my couch and pretending to be interested in Alice's discussion with my father and Sue. He'd arrived about twenty minutes ago and looked around my apartment as if he was expecting to find Edward hiding under my bed. It killed me.

My phone buzzed.

**We're on the way! The plane touched down five minutes ago.**

Oh my God, he'd be here soon! I was ready to bounce in my seat just like Alice did when she was excited. She glanced at me and grinned. She knew. Rose needed to hurry home. She was out getting beer and refreshments. We were staying in tonight. I wasn't sure what tomorrow was going to hold. I knew Dad wanted to take us out to dinner but I wasn't sure how to handle the Edward situation. We had much to discuss.

_I can't wait until you get here._

That was the understatement of the century.

"I can't believe you're graduating tomorrow. How does it feel to be done?"

"Amazing!" Alice answered as my phone beeped.

**It won't be long, baby. Emmett's driving.**

Thank God for Emmett and his fast driving. Then again, I didn't need him getting in more trouble before he met my dad.

_Tell him not to get pulled over. Dad would not be impressed._

"Bella, are you going to have your face buried in your phone all evening?" Dad asked. I looked up and smiled innocently but he kept the stern face on.

"Sorry. Edward's on the way."

"You're really going to love him, Charlie," Alice assured him.

"We'll see," he muttered. Sue just patted his arm and made a comment about how nice our apartment was, sending Alice off on decorating discussions. Thank God for her.

**Are you kidding? I'm not telling him anything that might make it take longer to get to you. We're nearly there. Can you feel it?**

Yes, I could. It was taking everything I had in me not to just run out the front door.

_Yes. I'm having trouble not ripping the door off the hinges and just running in the general direction of the airport. You'd see me at some point, right?_

The sooner I was with him, the better. I felt antsy.

**Yes, but you'd probably be on the wrong side of the road and then I'd have to throw myself out of a moving vehicle, which might cause me injury but I'd totally do it to get to you faster.**

Hell no. I need him at full capacity. Nothing was keeping me from ravaging him tonight.

_No injuries allowed. I need you healthy for what I have in mind._

Hurry, hurry up damn it. I heard the squeal of brakes outside and I knew. I hopped out of my seat and ran to the front door before anybody could say a word. Just as I reached it, there was a knock. I threw it open and there he was, so perfect and beautiful and there. I launched myself at him and he caught me. His lips were on mine and my back was against the door and I couldn't get close enough to him. Mine, finally, love…those words echoed in my mind as his lips moved over mine.

"I love you," he managed as he kissed my lips, my nose, my cheeks, everywhere he could reach.

"I love you, too. So much. Touch me," I demanded as I wrapped my legs around his waist. He pressed me back into the door and he was hard and hot and so ready for me. Jesus. I had to have him now. It had been way too long.

I vaguely heard something but it wasn't important. All that mattered was that I had my man back in my arms again. I was never letting him go.

"Excuse me. Are you going to release my daughter or do I have to arrest you for public indecency?"

Oops. Maybe I had to let him go for a minute or two. Then again, arresting us would be okay as long as we were cuffed together. I pulled back and looked into the red face of my father. Here we go.


	51. Major Words

I held my father's gaze, silently begging him to be nice to my boyfriend. This wasn't exactly how I'd planned on having them meet, but the truth was I forgot all about everyone and everything the instant I heard that car in the parking lot. The way he made me feel just took everything over, even common sense. Dad was glaring at the two of us and I was grateful Edward couldn't see it. Edward's eyes were closed and I wondered if he was praying. Not necessary. I wasn't going to let my father hurt him.

"Is it really public indecency when they're technically inside the apartment?" an amused sounding female voice intoned. Oh, God. I looked to the left and there was Edward's mom, smiling warmly, his Dad, looking amused and Emmett laughing his fool ass off. Crap. I forgot they were here, too. What was wrong with me? Damn hormones. "And do you have jurisdiction in these parts?" I had to admit, that was pretty damn awesome of her to ask and if I weren't about to puke from nerves, I might have laughed.

I had to get down. I unlatched my legs from around Edward and wanted to cry as I slid to the floor. I buried my head in Edward's chest. "I'm so fucking embarrassed," I whispered to him.

His fingers moved slowly down my back, rubbing, offering support as he turned us to face one angry gaze and three amused ones, at least I assumed so. I was still hiding. Edward held on to me, keeping me anchored.

"Damn, bro, and here I thought I was the one that was going to get the cop stare!" Emmett exclaimed. "Thanks for taking the heat off." Stupid boy, do you want him pissed at you? "Don't look at me, I didn't do anything." Haha, of course Dad had turned on him.

"That's probably because Rose isn't here at the moment. I really wouldn't put it past you, otherwise." Dad knew him well already, it seemed.

"Hey!" Emmett complained. "You're probably right, though," he admitted.

"I know I am. Bella, are you going to hide in that boy's chest all day or are you going to introduce us properly?"

Hiding seemed like the best option by far but I had to face them all eventually. I sighed and turned around. Edward, knowing what I needed without words, had his arms around my waist, holding me to his chest. He was the best. I focused on my father first, as he was the easiest for me to face. "Dad, this is Edward Cullen. Edward, this is my dad, Charlie Swan."

Edward held out a hand and I glared at my father as he looked at him, then me, then his parents and then back at us before he finally shook his hand. "It's nice to meet you," Edward told him.

Be nice, Dad. "Wish I could say the same," he muttered. I noticed he was eying where Edward still had his left hand around my waist but he wisely said nothing.

"Well, I for one am delighted to finally meet you, Bella." Esme Cullen spoke up, smiling and stepping forward with her arms wide open. It was the easiest thing to do, stepping into those welcoming arms and getting a hug and her immediate support. She smelled and felt just like a mom should, sort of like baby powder and baking or something.

"I'm so sorry that you saw…" I tried to apologize but she hushed me and rubbed my back just as her son had.

"Hush, sweetheart. What I saw was what every mother wants to see for her son. He's in love and completely loved in return. I already knew, of course, but it's beautiful to see." She stroked my hair softly. "I'm just happy to finally meet you."

I smiled up at the beautiful, perfect woman as I pulled back. "I'm happy to meet you, too. Edward talks about you all the time."

She laughed. "Oh, I'm sure he finds time to talk about a few other things as well." Ha, he sure did. But that was ours, thank you very much. "Carlisle, say hello to Bella."

"Hi, Bella, it's nice to meet you." Edward's absurdly handsome father took my hand and held it. He was blond and looked a lot like Emmett, though he had the same sort of lanky build as Edward did. There was something classy and elegant about him, just like with his wife. "Thanks for letting us come to your graduation. Neither of our boys went the college route, so we're happy to get to share in yours."

I felt my cheeks heating. They were too nice. "We're really glad you're here." I looked at my Dad, who was still eying Edward as if he was about to slap the cuffs on him. "The glaring man, as I'm sure you've deduced, is my father, Charlie Swan. Dad, this is Esme and Carlisle Cullen. And Emmett, of course."

"It's nice to meet you, Charlie." Esme reached out and grabbed Dad's hand and started leading him down the hallway. "We're just thrilled to meet your daughter. She's made Edward the happiest I've ever seen him." Edward pulled me against him as we all followed them. "From everything he's told me about her, it's clear that you've raised a wonderful young woman on your own. I admire you for doing it all alone. Carlisle and I had our hands full with our two boys. I can't imagine dealing with one all by myself, even if Bella's an angel."

Dad appeared to be a little confused by the way Esme had led him to the living room. She practically pushed him onto the couch and sat next to him before leaning across him and holding out a hand to Sue. "You must be Sue. I'm Esme Cullen; it's a pleasure to meet you."

Sue was on the quiet side, but she smiled in greeting. "The pleasure is mine. It was kind of you all to travel so far to come to Bella's graduation."

Esme waved a hand. "As if we'd be anywhere else? Carlisle, come sit with us." Everybody started situating themselves; Carlisle sitting on Esme's other side after he shook hands with Sue. Emmett dropped on the loveseat next to Alice, who looked annoyed by his presence already. Edward was trying to figure out where to sit, staring at the dining room chairs with a look of dissatisfaction on his face. Silly boy, as if I was going to sit that far away from him? I'd brought Alice's bean bag out of her room and I pulled him over to it. He smiled as he plopped down and held out a hand to me. I sat next to him, cuddling into his side as he put his arm around me. I rested my head on his shoulder. He held my free hand in his, lacing our fingers together. It felt so good to finally be touching him again.

"Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Cullen. I'm Alice!" Ali, who hadn't a shy bone in her body, hopped over to hug both of Edward's parents. "Thank you so much for our gift baskets, they were incredible!"

Esme laughed as she hugged her back. "We're so glad you liked them. My boys tell me you're going to be a nurse."

Alice sat back down next to Emmett, her expression of joy obvious. "I am! In fact, I just got the best news! I got hired for the internship at Seattle General! I'll be starting in August!"

"That's great," Carlisle praised her. "It's a fine hospital and I'm sure you'll do well there. Do you have a specialty that you'd like to get into?"

"Alice is very interested in pediatrics," Emmett announced, a huge grin on his face. "She has a real thing for adolescents, don't you, Alice?" Oh, shit. There he goes.

Ali punched him but it did nothing. "Shut up! I do not!"

"That's not what I hear." He poked her side. "How many proms have you been to since I saw you last?"

"You're such an asshole." She looked embarrassed when she took in the parental types in the room. "Oops, I'm sorry, he's just…"

"I get it," Esme told her, giving Emmett a very mom-like glare. "Emmett, knock it off."

"What does he mean about prom?" Dad asked, finally turning away from me and Edward to see what Alice was talking about.

"Uh, nothing. He's just being a jerk," Alice lied.

"That's just how Emmett and Alice are, Dad," I agreed, trying to save her the embarrassment of explaining. I smiled at Edward's parents. "Are you sure you didn't have a daughter twenty-two years ago? These two fight exactly like siblings."

Carlisle chuckled. "I worked a lot back then but I think I'd remember having a daughter, even a short one like Alice."

Esme laughed lightly. "You might have missed it, dear, but I wouldn't have. Emmett always wanted a little sister to tease. It looks like he's got one."

"I do." Em slipped an arm around Ali and grinned when she elbowed him. "Alice loves me."

"I do not. I tolerate you only for Bella and Rose's sake." She turned to Esme. "How did you end up with one good son and one annoying one?"

"Luck of the draw," she responded, smiling. "The good one has his not so good moments, though." I leaned forward, interested in that for sure.

"Hey now, let's not mention those," Edward begged. Sweet, nervous boy. I squeezed his hand.

"It's just fortunate that I'm a decade older than the guys she goes for, or we'd have a true love triangle up in this place," Emmett declared, making Alice scream in protest. "I'd hate to cause a catfight between my Rosie and little Cher, though."

"Somehow, I don't think you'd mind," Dad pointed out. "Alice, what is this he keeps going on about? I didn't know you had a boyfriend."

"Emphasis on the word boy!" Emmett yelled. Dear Lord. Then again, when they were sniping at one another, they were distracting attention from Edward and me, which was a good thing. I wanted to drag him in my room and attack him. This sucked.

"I hate you," Alice told Emmett. "I don't have a boyfriend, Charlie. Just a friend. And he's perfectly legal, not that we're doing anything illegal. Emmett does the illegal things, not me."

"Hey, I'm reformed," he protested. "I haven't been in trouble in ages."

"If you define ages as about a hundred days, then I suppose that's true." Dad shook his head and turned to address the Cullens. "My heart about stopped when I did a run on your son and found out he'd been arrested five times. I was relieved when I realized I was looking at the wrong E Cullen."

Oh, no. I could feel the heat from Esme's glare at Emmett even though it was aimed away from me. Emmett gripped Alice's shoulders and shifted her in front of him. It was rather hilarious, him using her tiny self to shield his big body. "Five times? Where did the other two times come from, Emmett? And why am I just finding out about this now?"

"It was nothing, Mom. All charges dropped. Hardly worth mentioning," he sounded panicked as he held Alice in place. She was wiggling but unable to break his grip, not that she really cared judging by the way she was laughing.

"Hardly worth mentioning? I think it's worth mentioning that you got arrested five times! What did you do, Emmett?"

"Nothing, that's why they let me go. It was a case of mistaken identity." Emmett was pale and scared as hell, I could tell. Edward tensed next to me. What was that about?

"Nobody in Hollywood ever mistakes your identity. What did you do?" she asked again, in a tone that said he better not continue to sidestep the question.

"Damn, I can see why you two are so afraid of her," I told Edward. "I don't want to be on the other end of that look." She had a way of reducing that giant man into a little boy for sure. He looked terrified. Dad was smiling proudly while Carlisle just shook his head. Poor Sue hadn't a clue what was going on it seemed. I hoped all future family gatherings were a little less fraught with tension.

"It was nothing, Mom. The usual. A little matter of a fight, some destruction of property, all very minor things. And I didn't destroy any property. A chair may have gotten broken when I removed the person who was trying to hit me. I paid for it, no harm, no foul." Somehow I doubted that was all there was to it. Was he sweating?

"You'll know harm and foul soon enough, boy," she replied darkly. "Why didn't they press charges?"

Emmett's gaze cut toward us and he smiled. "Edward did some fast talking, signed some autographs, gave out some tickets to premieres and it was all good. He's my hero."

And suddenly everyone was looking at us again and Edward was on the other end of his mom's angry look. "Uh oh," I whispered. Edward's grip on my shoulder and hand tightened.

"Your brother got arrested, twice, and you didn't tell me?" Esme asked, her eyes, so like Edward's, shooting fire. I was glad it wasn't directed at me.

"At the time, I wanted to keep him alive. I'm regretting that now, though," Edward replied, shooting his brother a dirty look. "I promise you now that if he ever gets arrested again, I won't even bail him out, let alone get charges dropped."

"So you bribed an officer?" Oh, crap, here comes Dad.

"No, sir. I just went down to bail him out and they started asking for autographs and things and I just gave them what they wanted all in the name of community spirit. I'm a big supporter of the police force," Edward said quickly.

I giggled at him and he squeezed me. "Shut up, I'm trying not to die," he whispered in my ear. He was too cute for words.

Esme turned her anger on my dad. "And why, exactly, were you checking up on my son at all? What's he ever done? Isn't that an abuse of police powers?"

Oh boy. Dad looked pissed. "He's dating my daughter. I had to check him out, make sure he didn't have some sordid past."

She glared at him. "And do you check out every single person Bella's dated, or did only my son get that treatment?" she demanded.

"Esme," Carlisle intoned, setting a calming hand on her shoulder. Shit, were our parents going to fight? This wasn't good.

Dad looked to Sue who shook her head at him. "I told you it was a bad idea."

"Okay, so maybe I never did it before, but I should have and maybe she would have been spared the heartache the last jerk caused." Oh, Dad, I told you Edward's nothing like Tyler.

"Oh really? Did he have some hidden criminal past that would have clued you into the fact that he's a giant asshole who sleeps around?" Esme asked hotly before turning to me and smiling. "I'm sorry, sweetheart, I'm not making light of it at all, it's just that I doubt police reports are that detailed."

I knew it but still, it sucked that they were talking about that shit. "No, but…" Dad started, only to be cut off.

"Well, then. If you want to know about Edward, you've only to pick up a magazine. No criminal checks are necessary. I'd say the same for my other son, as his exploits seem to be all over the news as well, but clearly he managed to hide a thing or two." She glared at Emmett again. "I can understand your need to protect your child. As I'm sure you've no doubt found, Edward had a rough go of it last year himself, but I'm not holding that against your daughter." She sounded like she'd wade into battle for her son at the drop of a hat. My heart swelled at her loved for Edward.

"Yes, well, for what it's worth, Edward seems to be a stand up guy," Dad admitted. "I'll apologize for overstepping my boundaries."

Just like that, Esme's mood shifted and she laughed. "Oh, Charlie, I more than get it. She's your whole world."

Dad blushed and Edward laughed. "I see where you get it from," he whispered. I poked him to shut him up. Dad hated that he blushed and he knew how I felt about it. Edward pulled me in closer and I relaxed at his touch. No matter what sniping went on, we were together. That was all there was to it.

"Yes, well." Dad looked at Edward. "I suppose that I can see what you were saying outside. It's clear that your son cares about Bella a lot."

"I do," Edward supplied. "I love her." I squeezed his hand. "All I want to do is make her happy." And he did, blissfully so.

"See to it that you do." Dad smiled. It didn't completely meet his eyes but it was progress.

"Aww, back off, Big Daddy Chief, he's mad for her." The cavalry has arrived! We all turned to see Rose in the doorway loaded down with pizza and beer. "Don't you think I'd have kicked his ass to the curb by now if he wasn't perfect for her?"

Like magic, Rose had Dad really smiling. He stood along with Emmett, who immediately sat back down at one look from Dad. Edward laughed hard at that one. Dad took the food from Rose, setting it aside before he scooped her into a hug. "Rose! Where have you been? We missed you!"

Rose wiggled her eyebrows at me as she hugged my dad back. Perv. But I loved her and her ability to diffuse tension in the room. "I had to fend off an asshole in the pizza place. It took longer to get out of there than I planned."

Dad released her and looked ready to go kick some ass. "Who hassled you?"

Rose laughed and kissed his cheek. "Nobody hassles me, Charlie. Don't you know that by now? There was just an annoyance I had to shake off." She mouthed Newton at me and I sighed. After tomorrow, I would hopefully never have to hear that name again.

"Hey, Em, how about we go get some more pizza? I don't think there's nearly enough," Edward decided, starting to push off the bean bag.

"Edward, you don't need to," I told him, holding him tightly.

"Yeah, why don't we?" Emmett stood and walked over to Rose. "Um, Chief, sir, officer, el presidente, would it be possible for me to maybe say hello to my girlfriend properly?" I giggled at his names for my father, as did Edward and everyone else in the room.

"Just what do you consider a proper greeting? What your brother pulled outside?" Dad asked. Oops.

"Daddy, that was my doing," I pointed out, using Daddy to try to make it cuter but the look he gave me told me I failed miserably.

"No, sir. I don't consider that proper at all." Liar! Rose was laughing and cuddling into my father's arms. I had to admit they were cute together. Everybody was watching the show with looks of amusement on their faces and Alice looked ready to pop she was so excited.

"The last time you and Rose were interrupted sharing a greeting by a cop, you were a lot less proper as I recall," Alice announced. Emmett turned white and Rose lost it, laughing hard.

"Damn, Alice, why do you have to bring that up?" he asked pitifully.

"Maybe because you bring up Jasper every five minutes, you jerk! You had it coming." I had to admit, he did.

"You did, Emmett," his mother agreed.

"You know about this?" Dad asked the Cullens.

Esme nodded. "He tells me pretty much everything, arrests notwithstanding."

"What did you do?" Charlie asked Emmett, who was fidgeting and avoiding his eyes.

"Nothing, of course. A friendly officer of the law saw us parked in a state park after hours and asked us to move it along. We'd lost track of time." Emmett looked panicked and hurried to clarify. "We weren't doing anything, just talking. Rose is a fascinating woman, which I'm sure you know." Liar, liar, pants on fire.

"Oh, I do," Dad agreed, which made Emmett relax a little. "And I also know more than I would care to about you, including what your bare ass looks like." And he was tense again. "So I doubt you were discussing the weather or politics or medicine with my brilliant Rose."

"Um, well…"

"It was a female cop, Charlie. He flirted with her right in front of me." Rose was having the time of her life making her boyfriend miserable.

"You flirted with another woman in front of Rose?" Dad asked angrily.

"I was trying to keep us from being arrested! And your precious Rose nearly decked her! So you should be glad I did what I did."

Was he? He was! Dad's moustache twitched and then he laughed, hard. "You managed to flirt your way out of a ticket and keep this one from assaulting an officer? Maybe you aren't completely useless after all."

Emmett clearly didn't know what to say that, looking like a fish out of water for a few moments. "Um, thanks, I think?"

"I'll still be keeping an eye on you," he warned him, but he pushed Rose toward Emmett a little.

Emmett took her hand and bowed his head like he was meeting the queen or some fucking thing. What on earth? "What in the hell are you doing?" Rose demanded, pulling him to her and giving him a hard, quick kiss. Emmett looked at Dad but he didn't protest, thankfully.

He took Rose and brought her around the touch to introduce her to his parents. "This is Mom and Dad," he told her. "Mama, Dad, this is my Rosie." Esme stood and hugged Rose, just like she had me. It took a second but then Rose returned the embrace.

"Thank you," Rose told her.

"Thank you for letting us be a part of something so major. We wouldn't miss it for the world." Esme let her go and she turned to Carlisle and hugged him on her own. I could tell that she was close to losing it from just that minor contact.

"We're excited that you're here. Sorry dinner's a bit late. And we did save one bottle of the Cristal if you'd like that instead of beer."

"We'll have whatever you're having," Esme responded.

"Rose, this is Sue." Dad helped her up and Rose smiled at her.

They shook hands. "It's nice to meet you. Alice says you're taking good care of the chief." Please, do not say something perverted, Rose. I'll kill you, friend or no.

Sue smiled. "I do my best. He eats vegetables a few times a week now, at least."

Rose smiled. "Good. We want him around for a long time. Do onions and peppers on pizza count as a vegetable serving?" Thank God.

Sue laughed. "No, but we'll make an exception tonight."

"Tonight, we party!" Yes, let's, and then they can go and I can have my man to myself. Hurry up, night.

Xoxoxoxoxox

"So, are you girls all packed?" Esme asked after food had been eaten and plates cleared.

"Mostly," I replied. "These two dragged me out shopping whenever we had a study break."

Rose laughed. "There is such a thing as over studying, Bella. We needed some down time."

"Speaking of that…" Dad looked nervous. "I have something for you. Let me just go get it."

Edward and I exchanged glances and I shrugged. "Are we doing presents now? Carlisle!" Esme gestured for him to go with Dad and he did so. They returned a few minutes later, laughing and carrying a couple of bags a piece.

"Go ahead," Carlisle told my father.

Dad lugged the suitcase over in front of me. "I thought that maybe you could use these for your vacation. They're supposed to be top of the line and they travel well and…" I cut him off with a hard hug. Dad hated buying presents and it was something I could use. They looked way better than my ratty old duffle bags.

"Thanks, Dad. I can definitely use them."

"Good. Well, then. I'm not good at this present thing, so I figured I'd just let you guys get what you wanted." He unzipped the pocket on my luggage and brought out three envelopes, handing one to each of us. "That's for your vacation, too. It's not a lot but I thought you girls could use some spending money over there."

And just like that, Dad had truly signed off on my trip and I was pretty sure Edward as well. All three of us hugged and kissed him as he turned red. "You shouldn't have, Dad."

"What? I'm going to send my girls to another country with no money?" He looked at Edward. "I know he has money but you shouldn't mooch off him and you should have some of your own anyway in case."

"You're too amazing, Charlie. You didn't have to get us anything," Rose told him.

"Of course I did." He was blushing hard. "Just have a good time and don't get in any trouble." He directed that statement to Emmett, who looked like he wanted to sink through the floor.

Esme laughed at Emmett before she opened the bag that Carlisle had brought in. "I'll start with Alice and Rose, since we got them something similar." She held out a wrapped package to them and they thanked her before ripping into it.

"Holy shit, this is so cool!" Rose held a stethoscope up. "It's engraved. My name and the date of our graduation."

"Mine, too! Thanks so much, Mrs. Cullen. Mr. Cullen." Alice gave them hugs, delighting Esme.

"Please call me Esme. And you're very welcome. Rose, we have something else for you."

Carlisle handed Rose a black doctor's bag. It looked pretty well worn, with some marks and scuffs on it. "This was my first medical bag. Esme gave it to me when I graduated med school and we wanted you to have it."

Oh, wow. If ever there were anything would make Rose lose it, they'd done it. "Oh, my God," Rose said, tears filling her eyes. "That's…nobody's ever given me anything that could possibly mean more. Thank you, so much." She threw her arms around Carlisle and he smiled at Esme as he held her. She turned to Esme next and she whispered something in Rose's ear. Rose pulled back and wiped tears away. "He told me you would be like this but I didn't really let myself believe it. You're amazing. Thank you."

Esme laughed and smoothed her hair away from her face. "You're part of our family now and we'll finally have another doctor in the family. We're thrilled." She turned to me and held out a flat package. "Happy Graduation, sweet girl."

I was still stunned by what she'd given Rose and had no idea what she could possibly give me. I tore into the pretty package and gasped when I saw the book there. " _To Kill a Mockingbird?_ A first edition? It's beautiful." I hugged it to me. "This has to be worth a fortune. I can't…"

"You can and you will. This was actually my book. My favorite book. My parents gave it to me years ago and I'd like you to have it," Esme told me. So amazing. I hugged her and thanked her profusely before doing the same to Carlisle.

Esme smiled. "I wanted someone who loved to read as much as I did to have it, and the boys only bury their noses in scripts, girlie magazines or sci fi books." She wrinkled her nose at the very idea, making me laugh. "And if you need someplace to store it, well, we have a place for you." She gave me a picture. It was a beautiful room, filled with books, a plush sofa, a fireplace and a big cherry wood desk. It was my dream room. "That's at Edward's house. It's from all of us, a place for you to read or work or whatever."

Mine? That was mine? "You're giving me a room?" I asked in disbelief. A room? At Edward's? Mine?

"A library. They're not all first editions, but I tried to get a good collection of classics and newer stuff," Esme replied. I hugged her and Carlisle again.

"I love it! Look, Dad, a library!" I showed him my precious picture.

He smiled. "That's a pretty fancy room, Bells. It looks great." He turned to the Cullens. "Thank you. I…just, thank you."

Edward was just standing there, smiling. I ran to him and threw my arms around him. "You knew, all this time, and didn't tell me?"

He chuckled. "What kind of a present would it be if I told you beforehand? Mom needed something to keep her occupied while we were gone. It was her idea, though, I just provided the room."

As if. He was giving me a place in his home. If that didn't say it all, what did? "You gave me so much more than that," I said softly, kissing him, putting my heart into it.

"Rosie, my gift for you is private," Emmett yelled, making my Dad glare at him. Edward chuckled quietly. "But I have one that I can show you now." The next thing we all knew, he was taking his shirt off. Several tattoos came into view but it was obvious which one he was showing her. There was a heart over his own heart, with her name in it and a red rose wrapped around it. It was quite beautiful and I knew it was going to kill Rose dead.

"Fuck," Rose gasped, gulping. "I, uh, love it Emmett." Ha! She wanted to jump his body, I knew it.

"Put your shirt back on, boy, this isn't the gym," Dad sneered. The Cullens were laughing and shaking their heads and Sue was staring at Emmett's bare chest looking a bit dazzled.

"Sorry," Emmett apologized, pulling his shirt back and causing Rose to let out a soft whimper of protest. It was best that it be covered before she just tackled him, though. She looked like she wanted to.

"Alice, Edward and I weren't sure what to get you and he wouldn't let me give you money for bail or diapers for your next suitor…" he grunted when Alice elbowed him again. "So we got you this." He handed her a small card. "I guess lots of nurses have problems with shoes and stuff, that's what Dad said, this is good place for those and well, you should be able to buy a fuckton for what we put on here."

Ali looked stunned. "You got me something nice…that I can use?" I had to admit, I was just as surprised.

Emmett shrugged. "Well, yeah, I guess."

She threw herself at him and he caught her and twirled her around. "I still don't like you," she told him, making him laugh.

"I can tell."

"But I kind of love you in an annoying big brother way."

He grinned and messed up her hair, making her yell. "I knew you did! I told you that you loved me."

"And now I don't again." She tried to get loose but he wouldn't let her. "Damn it, I need to go hug the less annoying brother."

Edward smiled. "You can owe me one."

"Fine," she sighed and gave up her struggle, relaxing into Emmett.

"I guess I'm up." Edward reached into his pocket and brought out a small black box. It couldn't be, could it? He wouldn't propose already and with all these people around, would he? I'd say yes, no doubt about it, but Dad might have a stroke. Edward smirked at the expression on my face and handed me the box. "For the teacher."

I took a breath as I flipped open the lid to the box. Oh, my God, how cute was that? It was an apple pendant with B for Bella in the center of the apple. It probably cost him a small fortune and it was gorgeous. "I love it!" I told him, kissing him, loving his arms around me, holding me tight.

"Excuse me, but can we see what in the hell you got her?" Rose interrupted.

Oh yeah. Edward laughed as we stopped kissing and I took the necklace out. "He got me an apple pendant." Rose chuckled and I smirked at her. She knew exactly what it meant.

"That's gorgeous!" Alice chimed in.

"Really lovely," Sue decided. Dad had a little bit of paleness in his cheeks and just grunted. Esme and Carlisle were smiling.

"Put it on me?" I asked Edward. He held my hair up and put the necklace on, his fingertips brushing against the back of my neck. Maybe this wasn't a good idea. I wanted him so bad I could feel it vibrating through me.

"I love it. I love you. Thank you." Edward gave me a quick kiss.

"Well, on that note, I think we'd better head to the hotel." Esme shot us a wink as she picked up her purse. "Charlie, Sue, are you ready to head out? I was thinking maybe we could grab a drink at the hotel?" Esme Cullen was a goddess. I might co-marry her with Rose.

"Sure," Sue agreed while Dad looked reluctant.

"Great!" Esme linked arms with her and steered her toward the doorway. "We'll be over bright and early so we can see you before the ceremony. Goodnight kids." She kissed all of us on the cheek on the way out.

Dad stood there looking like he wasn't sure if he wanted to follow or stay. Please go, Dad. Please. "My wife doesn't take no for an answer. It's better to just come along," Carlisle told him.

Dad looked at us, then at Emmett and Rose. He sighed. "Okay. I guess, just, goodnight then." He shot Edward a look before he walked out the door.

"Poor Dad, hates that his baby girl is about to be ravished by the movie star," Rose joked as soon as they were gone.

"Shut up, Rose," I told her. It did suck that Dad knew what I was about to do, but it damn well wasn't going to stop me.

"Yeah, shut up Rose," Emmett told her, throwing her over his shoulder and smacking her on the ass. "What was up with you telling the Chief about the cop? He wanted to kill me! I get Alice throwing me under the bus, but you too, baby?" He was pouting, comically.

"You need scaring now and then. Now take me into the bedroom and let me at my tattoo," she demanded.

That was all he needed. "Bye!" Emmett shouted, running out of the room, his hand on her ass.

Alice sighed. "Why does my room have to be next door to hers?" She smiled at us. "Not that yours will be any better, I imagine. Okay, I'm off to blare my stereo all night long." So very true. I felt for her, but I had to have Edward.

Edward waved and pushed me gently in the direction of my bedroom. I got the door open and we collapsed against it when I kicked it closed. "Alone at last," I murmured before he crushed me to him, kissing my lips with all the passion that had been building every moment since we'd reunited. I wrapped my legs around his waist again as he pushed me into the door, rocking against me.

"I think we've been here before," he said, squeezing my ass and kissing me over and over.

"Yes, hours and hours ago. Way too long." Damn our beautiful, cockblocking families.

"Way too long," he echoed, taking my shirt and bra off and molding my boobs with those talented hands of his. "God I missed you. And this. And these." He stroked my nipples as I moaned and pushed against him.

"We all missed you, too. God, Edward, touch me." This time, he could.

"I am, baby. You should have told me your dad was here the last time."

I giggled. Oops. "I forgot. I couldn't think of anything but you."

He carried me to the bed and put me down gently. He watched me for a moment; his green eyes filled with hunger, before he unzipped my jeans and tugged them down along with my panties. "I need you," he told me as he took off his shirt, his beautiful muscles coming into view. Fuck. I wanted to lick him.

I boosted myself up and undid his pants. "I need you, too. So long. I've been dying for you to touch me all night, Edward. Please." He yanked off his pants and boxers, tossing them away impatiently.

"God, yes," I murmured when that gorgeous body came fully into view. He gently lowered himself on top of me and kissed me hungrily. I held him to me, running my fingers through that soft, sexy hair of his. "Now, damn it." I spread my legs and felt him hard and ready against me. Please, please. He entered me in one thrust and finally I felt right again. I needed him so bad.

"Yes!" I called out as he filled me. "Take me, Edward. Hard. Fast. Just, God, please."

"You don't have to ask me twice, baby." He pushed my legs up, hooking them over his forearms, bending me back so he could take me just like I wanted it. So good. So hard and so perfect inside me. I arched my back, taking him in as far as I could. He moved faster, his teeth gritted, the concentration on his face as he fucked me. God, I needed this. I needed him. Always.

"Bella, so good," he grunted, pushing deep inside me. I was close, so close. His name spilled from my lips as he took me. He pushed my legs even higher and thrust again and that was it. I screamed as I came, lights shooting behind my eyes, my body shuddering as he filled me. Holy shit. Separation sucked but reuniting was amazing.

I murmured his name as he released me and pulled out of me. "That was worth the wait," I told him, making that gorgeous smile of his flash.

"I'd wait forever for you, if I had to, but I'm so glad I don't."

Thank God for that. "Me too. I'm so glad you're here. And I'm so sorry about my dad."

Edward pulled me closer, his beautiful eyes smiling into mine. "Baby, you have nothing to be sorry about. I'm pretty sure he doesn't hate me."

He didn't. He'd given his approval in his own way, with the luggage and the money and admitting that Edward wasn't so bad. "I know he doesn't. I don't think he doubts us now."

Edward laughed. "I don't think my mom will let him."

His Mom. I was a fan of hers, for sure. "Your mom rocks. I can't believe she gave me her book."

He smiled. "She wanted you and Rose to feel like part of the family for real. And you are." It sure felt like it. They were all amazing.

"And now I have a room at your place." That was still cool as hell.

"They're all yours. Except Emmett's room. Stay away from there."

Ha! I definitely would. "I will." He was the best guy in the world and he was all mine. "I love you. Always."

His beautiful face lit with his smile. "I love you, too. I always will."

"I don't ever want to be apart from you again," I admitted. "I hated it." Would he know that I meant it? Not just this separation, all of them.

Serious green eyes focused on me. "Then don't. Stay with me."

Did he mean what I hoped he meant? "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

He chuckled. "If you think I'm saying that I want you to stay with me always, then yes. You can take classes online, or transfer to somewhere in Cali, or I can move here if you want to stay here." He felt the same way I did. I couldn't contain my happiness. "I don't want to say goodbye or see you soon to you ever again, unless it's for the day when I leave to go to work and then come home to you at night. Or vice versa."

I laughed and kissed him. "I want that, too. But I didn't want you to think that I wanted you to take care of me or to follow you. I mean that sounds pathetic or something and I hate that it seems that way but…"

He stopped my stream of words with a kiss. "It doesn't seem that way. I want you with me. I can be the pathetic one if one of us must be, but I like to think we love each other and don't want to go months on end without seeing one another. That sounds better."

"It does." There was nothing pathetic about him. "I was afraid to say anything." I wanted to be with him more than anything.

"Never be afraid to say anything to me, baby. I want it all, the good and the bad." He stroked my cheek. "Forever starts now." And I was ready to begin it, with Edward at my side.

* * *


	52. Graduation

"We're not telling your father today, are we?" How adorable was it that Edward was still afraid of my dad? All in all, yesterday had gone pretty well once we'd gotten past the doorway mounting incident. Emmett had earned most of his wrath, much to my eternal joy. I'd have to get him a present or something for taking the heat off my boyfriend, even when he wasn't trying to.

"God, no, are you crazy?" I asked, laughing as I sat up and took in his magnificent rumpled form next to me. Dad wasn't getting his hands on any part of my man, thank you very much. "I'll tell him that over the phone from miles and miles away. I honestly don't think he'll be that surprised, but I'd rather not risk it. Or you." I brushed his hair aside, smiling at the nerves I saw in his eyes.

Edward smiled. "Yeah, let's not risk me. As it is, when you tell him, I think I'll ask Mom to get in touch with her contacts and have his passport flagged, just in case."

He cracked me up. "He's not going to come to Germany to hunt you down." Edward's expression told me that he didn't quite believe that, the poor boy. "Well, he's not likely to. And what contacts does your mom have that flag passports?" Somehow this didn't surprise me. I had a feeling Esme Cullen could do anything she wanted.

Edward tugged on one of my curls. "With my mom, you never know, Bella. When she thought I was being kidnapped, she mentioned hitmen and the FBI. I've learned not to question such things."

That made me laugh. "Your mom's awesome." According to the clock, it was already after eight. Damn it, I'd have to get up. "But even she's not awesome enough to save us if my father shows up and finds us still in bed."

Edward moved faster than I'd ever seen him move in my life, vaulting out of the bed and grabbing his boxers all in one smooth move. It was funny and also hot as hell to see him move like that. I laughed at his sexy ass all the way to the shower. I thought he might join me but I guess all my talk of my father showing up and finding us in a compromising position backfired on me. I tried not to be disappointed about him leaving me alone. It wasn't like I hadn't had him three glorious times already. But it wasn't enough. It never was. I craved him. If I had a choice between air and Edward Cullen, Edward would win.

He wasn't in the bedroom when I returned and I laughed to myself as I got my black panties and bra set out of the drawer. I bent to pull the underwear on and nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard his voice behind me. "Are you trying to kill me?"

I laughed as I turned to face him. "No, I'm trying to get dressed so I can appear sweet and virginal when my father gets here." Not that he'd buy it, but we liked to pretend.

Edward snorted at the very idea of me being virginal so I threw my bra at him. He caught it and twirled it around his finger, smirking all the while. "You didn't sound virginal last night when you were begging me to fuck you." Damn him. That was true, though. "All I have to do is show him this thing and he'll know that you're neither of those things."

I held my hand out toward him and like the good man he was, he handed it over, though not without a sigh. "As if you'd dare show my bra to my father. Dad and I like to maintain our illusions. What he doesn't know doesn't hurt either one of us." His eyes widened and I fought the urge to kiss him. If I did it now, his shower would be delayed and we really would get caught. "Go get your shower; we have to be there by ten." I put my bra on instead of tossing it aside like I wanted to, and shimmied into the black dress I'd gotten for the occasion while he was in the shower.

I needed something to eat, so I devoured a bagel while I waited for people to emerge. I could hear signs of life in the other bedrooms. It wouldn't be long now. I went into my room to see if Edward was coming along and I pretty much almost died when I saw him standing in my bedroom wearing a suit that probably cost more than Rose's car. Jesus fucking Christ, he was beautiful.

Edward smirked at the puddle of drool that was probably making its way down my face as I stared at him. "See something you like, love?"

Like? Was he crazy? It was taking everything I had in me not to attack him. "Holy hell, my dad's going to arrest you."

His face turned pale and he started glancing around frantically. "Why?" he asked, his voice an octave higher than usual. Oops. I hadn't meant to scare him.

"It has to be illegal to look that good," I told him. I had to touch him, somewhere, so I walked over to him and straightened his already perfect tie. It was purple, in honor of my school colors. How cute was he? I just wanted to eat him up. Well, not really. Just bite him a little. And undo those perfectly fitted pants and have a go or seven at him.

Edward blew out a breath. "You scared the shit out of me, baby. That was not cool." His eyes darkened as his gaze met mine. "Bella, you need to stop looking at me like that or you're going to miss your graduation."

Who cared about graduation? Surely if anybody saw Edward, looking like this, they'd understand why it was impossible to think about anything else. "I can't help it. You're gorgeous."

He smiled and stroked my cheek with one finger. "So are you."

As if I could compare? I couldn't stand it anymore so I pulled his lips to mine using his tie. His arms tightened around me and God he smelled incredible too. Did we have somewhere to be? I really didn't care. We'd just stay here and worry about whatever we missed later.

"Break it up, you two. Mom called. They're on the way." Damn it. I glared over at Emmett who was smiling from my doorway. "You might want to calm down a bit before interrogation round two begins."

Edward released me reluctantly. "Whatever. You're in more trouble than I am." Ha! He so was.

Emmett's smile fell away. "I know. What the fuck? You're the one doing his daughter. I'm just doing the surrogate! By rights, it should be you that has the worst of it." He did have a point, but I wasn't sure how I felt about him referring to it as 'doing his daughter.' That sounded gross.

"Maybe you should have thought of that before you got arrested a billion times," Edward said, offering me a hand. I twined our fingers together and we made our way into the living room. Ali was already there, looking gorgeous in purple. Of course she had to match our gowns. Emmett's suit was black like Edward's and looked almost as good, but not quite. Nobody could top my Edward in the looks department.

"It wasn't a billion. And you better be nice to me or I won't help you out today," Emmett told him, pouting.

"What does that mean?" That was a very good question.

"I have a plan, little bro. You'll see." He grinned at his brother for a second before his attention was taken by Rose's entry. She was in a sexy as sin red dress that looked like it'd been painted on her body. "Hot damn, baby, how am I supposed to keep my hands off you when I know that you're wearing that under your robe?" Emmett demanded.

"I can help with that," my father called from the hallway. I guess they'd arrived. I chuckled as Emmett cursed under his breath and started fidgeting. "You shouldn't leave your door unlocked," he scolded as he came into the room. I smiled when I saw he was having issues with his tie. That was my father, for you. Sue smoothed it for him and he smiled, relieved.

"I unlocked it so you could come in," Alice explained, giving my father a quick hug.

"Well, alright then," he told her, patting her back. "You girls look beautiful."

"Thanks, Dad." I gave him a hug and kiss and Rose followed, shooting me one of her teasing looks as she did so again. Pervert.

"Charlie," Sue said softly, nudging him and handing him three bouquets of flowers.

"Right. Uh, I, er, we got you girls some flowers," Dad stuttered, blushing as he handed them over.

How cute was my father? "Dad." I hugged him. "Thank you, they're beautiful."

"They really are, Charlie! I'll put them in water." Alice gathered them from us and ran into the kitchen to get vases. She set them down on the coffee table, straightening each one. "Really lovely." She beamed at them.

They really were. Such cheerful colored tulips in reds, purples, pinks, yellows and oranges. I hugged Sue and thanked her as well. "Thanks. I know it was your idea."

Sue laughed lightly. "Well, he wanted to give you something but wasn't sure what, so I steered him toward flowers. It's the thought that counts, though."

"Thanks, Charlie." Rose kissed him again, making his cheeks pink up and Emmett glare, looking jealous. Edward got a kick out of that, as did I. We both laughed. "Thanks, Sue," Rose told her.

"Oh, aren't those lovely? Carlisle, look at what Charlie and Sue got the girls." Esme was in the house and had me in her arms before I truly registered that she was there. Rose and Alice got quick embraces as well. "Look how gorgeous you all are! Let me get some pictures!"

Well, that did it. There were cameras out everywhere. Dad had brought one, too, so he and Sue snapped away as did Esme and Carlisle. Then Alice's parents showed up and it started all over again. Celia Brandon was a nice woman but if she looked at my man like that one more time I might have to smack her, which probably wouldn't go over too well. Ali saw my irritation and said something to her mother, who stopped staring eventually.

It was time to go, unfortunately. We were already running late. I was a bit nervous about leaving Edward alone with my father, but I had faith that his mother would put the smack down on Dad if he got too mouthy.

"We've got to go," I told Edward. "We're supposed to be there a good hour before the thing starts. I'm going to ride over with Rose and Alice. We'll meet you here after?"

Edward smiled and I caught some nerves on his face but he just said "Sure, baby." I gave him a kiss and after a flurry of goodbyes, we got out of there.

"Do you think Charlie's going to kill our boyfriends and ask the Brandons to help him bury the bodies?" Rose asked as she steered her way over to Bartram Auditorium.

I laughed, though I was just as worried as she was. Not about death, per se, but about warnings and threats. Dad wasn't above that, I was sure. "Esme won't let him kill the boys," I assured her and myself if I was being honest.

Rose let out a laugh. "That's true! I've never seen anybody scare Charlie before, but Esme sure did. I thought he was going to try to hide from her when she started lecturing him about running makes on them." She shook her head. "Emmett was scared to fuck me too hard in case Charlie planted a bug in the living room."

"A bug?" Alice asked, snorting. "And I think the two of you made enough noise. If that was you holding back, we're going to need to soundproof your room."

Rose snickered. "I convinced him that there was no bug and once I got out my leather…"

"No!" I hollered, causing Rose to crack up.

"Fine. Well, let's just say that I managed to take his mind off the chief."

"You better have. It'd be pretty fucked up if he was thinking of him while doing you," I pointed out.

"True, true. Anyway, Em's terrified of Charlie. It's pretty fucking funny. Now I have something to hold over his head if he ever pisses me off."

No doubt she would. "I'm sure you could handle him without my father's help."

Rose nodded. "Goes without saying, but it never hurts to have a threat in reserve." She pulled into the parking lot and found us a spot that wasn't too much of a hike. We got out of the car and pulled on our robes over our dresses, figuring it was easier than doing it in the crush of bodies inside.

"Not a bad crowd," Alice murmured as she studied the students streaming into the building.

"I wish this thing was the stadium instead," Rose muttered. "It'd probably be better for the boys if they could just sit way the hell away from the action."

"Do you think it's going to be bad?" I worried, biting my lip as we headed toward the building. "Maybe I should tell him not to come."

Rose laughed. "I think he's going to get noticed, yes. But Emmett has a plan, something about screaming for random Cullens and Collins', pretending they're here for a cousin. It might work. Will Edward get approached? Probably, but better for him to be in the mass of parents and families than the student body, don't you think? He can beat off the cougars, or Mama Cullen and Charlie can."

Oh Lord, cougars. "You think Dad would help him out?"

Rose smirked. "If he wasn't dating you, probably not. But since he loves his daughter, he's damn well going to make sure no bitches try to feel up your guy. I have no doubt of that."

That was likely true. I felt a little better about it as we got inside. "Looks like we part here," Alice said. She hugged me and then Rose. "Just a few hours from now we'll be graduates! I just wanted to say that these four years have been the best time of my entire life." Her gray eyes swam with tears. "I know things are changing but I know that no matter what direction we all head, we're going to be friends forever."

I laughed as I hugged her again. "You do remember we're going to Europe together tomorrow, right? So we're heading in the exact same direction right now."

"You know what I mean," she giggled. "I've got a real job starting this fall. You're headed for Hollywood…" my jaw dropped as she giggled. "What? You think we're idiots? I don't know when you're going, but I know you are. You've bought into this _the one_ business hook, line and sinker and I'm happy for you. Rose and Emmett are going to be together here or there, too. I just want you to know that I love you and no matter where in the world any of us are, we'll always be friends."

"The best," I told her.

Rose hugged us both. "You can count on that. Occasionally I'll need to call you in to slap Emmett around when I'm off my game or tired. I fully expect you to keep him in line."

Alice giggled. "I can do that."

"Better than anybody this side of me or his Mom," Rose agreed. "Now let's graduate. I'm ready to blow this joint."

With that, we went our separate ways, heading toward our respective schools meeting area. I had the fortune, or misfortune depending on how you looked at it, to be seated right next to Jess. "Bout time you showed, bitch! What are we doing tonight? You hitting Sig Ep?"

Right. I was never hitting that place again. "Uh, no, not so much. Our families are here so we'll probably do dinner and spend some time with them."

"Family? Whatever, they're in bed by nine. We're graduates. One last blowout before we hit the world of adulthood. You've gotta be there, Bella. One more night of drunken frat boys, fending off Newton, watching Rose make grown men cry, Alice and Jared fighting and then fucking…it'll be major."

Majorly annoying. "I don't think so, Jess. We're taking off early tomorrow and need to be functional."

"I still can't believe you bitches are going to Europe without me," she sulked. "How in the hell are you swinging that?"

Thank God for Rose's disinterested parents. "Rose's father is footing the bill."

Jess sniffed. "It's the least he could do after they blew off graduation. Who does that? My parents are annoying as hell but they're here. Mom totally had some work done, too. Boobs and nose. And what did they give me for graduation? A fucking pen set." She scrunched up her face. "I'd like to use my pen to pop her new tits."

"Jess!" Jeez.

"What? She could have at least gotten me an appointment for new boobs or something too. I need to get a job."

I rolled my eyes. "I hardly think the size of your boobs is going to help you get a teaching position."

"A lot you know, Bella," she muttered. I wondered idly if a couple years from now I'd see Jessica on the news for sleeping with one of her students for real. It was one thing to role play with Edward, but another entirely to do it in real life. I wouldn't put it past her, though, if the kid was hot enough.

She had her nose buried in her phone. "What are you doing?" I asked.

"Tweeting. We're all using hashtag UDubgrad to try to figure out where everybody is and what the non-boring people are going to be doing tonight." From her tone, I guessed I was one of the boring. If she only knew what, or more importantly, who I'd be doing tonight. "Hey, look, Bella, there's your boyfriend."

My eyes immediately flew around, looking for Edward. Had he come down? Didn't he know how dangerous that was? "What? Where?"

"Right there." Jess pointed blatantly at Todd and I glared at her.

"Really? That again. I already told you that Todd is not my boyfriend."

"Well, you won't tell me who is, so I'm left to assume that I'm right. Is he why you're blowing me off tonight? You know Ang and Ben are even going out tonight and they're practically an old married couple already."

"Well, good, you have someone to hang with," I supplied.

"Boring people! Boring old married people. The least you can do is…" she broke off with a scream that pierced my ears.

"Jesus Christ, what are you yelling about?" I demanded.

"Oh my God. Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God. I can't breathe. He's here! How is it possible?" My heart started to pound. There was no question who _he_ was. But I had a role to play. Being with Edward had taught me that I wasn't so bad at this acting thing, at least when it came to sex. Let's see if I could pull it out in a non-sexual scenario.

"Who is _he?_ Why are you freaking out?" She really was, too. Her face was bright red and I was afraid she was about to take off to go look for him. If she did, I was taking the bitch down.

"Edward Cullen is at our fucking graduation! Oh my God!" She started patting at her hair. "Do I look okay? He's going to see me and I'm wearing this ridiculous thing. Maybe I should whip it off and just walk across the stage in my dress. Or better yet, naked."

Dear Lord. "While that would certainly be memorable, I don't think your parents would appreciate it. Nor would mine. My father might arrest you."

"Who cares? I'd crawl through broken glass for that man! Fuck graduation, I need to go find him now."

"Jess, how do you know he's even really here? Just because somebody tweeted it? People lie on Twitter all the time."

"Duh, she tweeted a picture." She held her phone out and sure enough, there was a picture of my Edward looking beyond gorgeous in his suit and sunglasses. I smiled. It was cute that he was wearing his shades inside. Very Hollywood.

I handed Jess her phone. "Well, it definitely looks like him."

"How can you be so calm?" she demanded. "You're nearly as in love with him as I am." That made my eyes narrow and fists clench. First of all, she didn't love him. She didn't know him. Second of all, nobody would ever love him as much as I did. Fuck that.

She was right, though. In a different world in which Edward Cullen was not the love of my life, and I his, I would be freaking out about him being here. So it was time to call on my acting skills and show some enthusiasm. "Of course I'm excited. He's in the same building as we are! I can't believe it!"

Jess's suspicious gaze diminished some at my fake reaction to the news. "So, what are we going to do about this? There's no way I'm letting Edward Cullen get out of Seattle without at least meeting him. Preferably while we're both naked. He must be staying at a hotel, right?" She started typing on her phone. "I'll find out the hotel and we'll stake it out!"

"Did you say Edward Cullen was at our graduation?" a girl in front of us asked. Jess started chattering with her and several other people as they tried to guess why he was here and where they could find him. One girl suggested that he might be our special speaker. Ha! If only.

Oh, jeez. I slipped out my own phone and fired off a text to Edward.

_You've been outed. Everybody in my area is talking about the fact that Edward Cullen is at our graduation. Some think you're our guest speaker, which would be way cooler than the governor._

"So, he's obviously only going to stay at a fancy hotel." Ha, try a college kid's apartment. It's a nice apartment, but not quite The Four Seasons. I didn't think he had any complaints about his accommodations, however. "Damn it, there are nineteen five star hotels in Seattle! How am I supposed to be at all of them?" She was scowling at her phone. "I know, I'll call and ask for him!"

Lord. "I highly doubt he registers under his own name," I muttered.

"Damn it, Bella, I'm at least being proactive. What are you doing?"

My phone beeped and I fought a smile. Texting the very guy you're searching for, Jess. Should I say hi for you? No, I don't think so.

**Word travels fast, doesn't it, baby? Em's having a fine time annoying your father and I'm trying not to focus on all the cameras aimed my way.**

I smiled, wondering what Emmett was doing to piss Dad off. "I'm telling Rose about Edward being here." Well, I would be, in a moment.

"Good. She can use her hotness to our advantage. We'll have her bribe the hotel clerks with sex," Jess decided. She was such an idiot.

_I'm glad Emmett can keep you all entertained. Who cares what words they use; it's all about ours, Edward. I love you and I'll show you how much in a few hours._

Next I messaged Rose.

_The cat's out of the bag. Apparently our graduation is being tweeted and they've got pics of Edward already. Jess is plotting hotel stakeouts and you using your feminine wiles to help us locate Edward._

"What do you mean you can't release the names of your guests?" Jessica demanded into the phone. Oh, hell, I'd told her they wouldn't.

"What are you doing?" I whispered. She waved me off impatiently.

"I'm a citizen and I have a right to know if he's there." She waited. "Well what can you tell me?" An angry huff at whatever response she had. "No, I don't want a room. I only want a room if Edward Cullen is staying there, and then I want his room!" She was yelling at this point.

"Jess, calm down."

"He hung up on me," she stated, looking stunned. "How dare he?"

"Uh, well, considering you were yelling at him and weren't taking a room, of course he did. I told you they weren't going to give out the name of their guests."

"Damn it." She punched in another number. "Hi, I'm looking for Edward Cullen's room."

I shook my head as another text came in.

_While my wiles could lure just about any man, we both know the only ones that will work on Edward are yours. And if that ho thinks I'm flashing my tits at bellhops, she's got another think coming!_

I snickered as I imagined the look on Rose's face at that suggestion. "Rose says she's not flashing tit, even for Edward Cullen."

"Ugh! Well, fine, we'll use our own. Two pairs of tits." Jess tried to peer down my robe and I pushed her away. "I think you've got good tits, right?"

Lord. "Not as good as your mother's apparently," I responded.

"Damn her," Jess cursed. "Okay, according to this he's in the north quadrant about twenty rows up. Where in the hell is the north quadrant?"

Like I knew? "I have no idea." I opened Twitter on my own phone and pulled up the graduation hashtag. It was all about Edward and Emmett. I snickered as I took a picture of one tweet and forwarded it to Rose.

_That Emmett Cullen is nearly as sexy as his brother is. I wouldn't mind taking him for a test drive. As a stuntman, he probably has excellent reflexes and stamina._

I knew it wouldn't take long and I wasn't surprised when I had a text a minute later.

_Who the fuck is EClover27? And is that E for Edward or Emmett? Either way, that bitch is going down. I'm going to find a computer science grad and get him to trace her. Nobody test drives my man!_

At least she could make me laugh. I closed out of twitter after reading several tweets about how hot and lickable Edward was. Yes, he was both of those things, but only lickable by me, thank you very much.

"Places, everyone, it's time!" someone hollered. My phone buzzed again.

**I love your words, and I love you. I can't wait to see you walk across that stage, baby.**

That's right. He's here for me. You all can look, but he's not looking back. He's mine. I set my phone to silent and shoved it back in my pocket. We marched in and took our seats as _Pomp and Circumstance_ played over and over. I tried to look for Edward, but of course couldn't see him. Jess practically tripped over her robe she was so busy craning her neck this way and that. "Is that him? Is that?" she kept asking.

"Shut up, Jess. Now is not the time."

She scowled but took her seat next to me and kept looking around. "Damn it, why couldn't he be in the front row?"

Uh, maybe because he doesn't want to be stampeded by horny college girls? "I don't know, Jess."

"North is that way, right?" I shrugged. North was any direction depending on where you looked. I had no idea how they designed the building. "You're totally not helping, Bella. You suck."

I tuned her out then and listened as the Dean started welcoming us and talking about what a grand occasion it was. My mind wandered to what Edward was doing, how it was going with my father and whether or not he'd been attacked by rabid fangirls. I would probably have heard about that if it happened, so I was holding out hope that he was okay.

It took awhile but finally they started calling us regular joe schmoes up, after they did the doctorate students and whatnot. They got through the initial Arts & Sciences people and then hit Biochemists. "David Cullen" got called and I heard a loud shout from somewhere to my left. That could only be one person. Emmett had found his relative, clearly. I checked out David and hid a smile when I saw that he appeared to be Asian. Well, he could be a relative, I suppose.

"Oh my God, do you think that's who they're here for? It came from that way!" Jess exclaimed, pointing to the left. "Damn it, I should have brought binoculars."

I laughed at her stupid ass. "And why would a graduate bring binoculars? The people in the stands are supposed to do that."

"Because if I had them, we could find Edward Cullen, Bella," she told me, like I was the ridiculous one. "I cannot believe that you aren't more excited about this. Graduation has turned you into an old person."

Right, fake enthusiasm. "I have not! I want to see him, too. I'm just thinking more rationally than you are! We can't just launch ourselves into the stands and grab him."

"Speak for yourself," Jess grumped. I glared at her. "Alright, you're right. So, think and come up with a viable plan. That or make Rose come with us to find him."

I sighed. "I can't go anywhere. We're all going to dinner with my father."

"You can see your dad any old time, Bella. You can only see Edward Cullen this once."

It took everything I had not to laugh. Try every single day for the rest of my life, Jessica. "It's a big deal to him, Jess. He didn't go to college and he wants to celebrate. I can't do anything tonight."

"After. You call me and we'll go hunt him down."

At this point, it was just easier to agree with her. "Fine. I'll call you." Except that I won't because I'll be busy making love to the very man you want to look for. But if it will get you off my back for five minutes, I'll fucking lie like a rug.

"Good." At long last, they started calling English majors to the stage. We formed a line and waited as we were called one by one. Jess was swaying back and forth trying to see Edward in the crowd. "Where is he? Why can't I see him?"

"Jess, they're about to call your name. Focus on not falling on the stage. I don't think that's the impression you want to make on Edward, do you?"

Her eyes widened in horror. "Oh my God, no! What if I fall? He'll think I'm clumsy. Or maybe he'll come out of the stands and give me mouth to mouth." I was going to do something to her mouth and it wasn't kiss it, let me tell you.

"Keep dreaming, Jess." Then they called her name and she managed to walk across the stage without falling or removing her clothes and yelling for Edward to come take her on the stage. Had she done that, I would have been forced to stab her with the pointy end of my cap.

"Isabella Swan." My turn. I walked across the stage and heard cheering from the direction it had come from before for "David Cullen." Hopefully Jess was too busy to notice.

"Way to go, Charlie's daughter! We're all here for you." Yep, there was Emmett. Loud as ever. But I smiled over at them. I couldn't make out faces but I could see the arms waving and knew that's where my family was. All of them, including my Edward.

I took my seat and smiled at Jessica. "Congratulations."

"Yeah, to you, too," she murmured. Her face was buried in her phone again. I guess she'd been without it long enough. "Yeah, it says they cheered for that David guy. Do you think we can sneak out and go find him now?"

God, she had a one track mind. "No, I think that we're stuck here until graduation is over. Besides, if they came for that guy, they probably left right after so they could avoid crazies like us." I included myself, though I was hardly on her level, even before I met Edward. Well, maybe I was a little then. Everything had changed now.

"God, I hope not. What if he leaves town today?" Then she was back to reading tweets. "Aww, how sweet. Edward's chatting with some older guy in front of him about his movies. See, he'd like it if two hot girls approached him." Only one. I'm all he wants. I just made some appreciative noises every time she gave me an Edward update or showed me a picture. He did look amazing. And he was sitting next to my father. Fortunately he didn't look upset or pissed off. Thank God. And I was glad Jess had never met my Dad or she'd be all up on me right about now.

It took forever before they got to the med students and I perked up when I heard Rose's name called. Sure enough, there was more cheering from our section and I was pretty sure I heard Emmett yell "hot." From Rose's smirk, I could tell she had as well. Alice came up not too much later and got the same rousing yells. I knew they were going to leave right after, so I breathed a sigh of relief and hoped they got out without incident.

"Damn, you guys have a group out there, don't you?"

I shrugged and lied some more. "Ali's parents are full of energy. Does that surprise you?"

Jess laughed. "No, I suppose not. Will this thing ever end? I'm supposed to meet my parents outside but I'm totally going to look for Edward first. Are you coming?"

I shook my head. "No, Dad would put out an APB if I don't meet up with him right away."

"Fine. Be a stick in the mud. But you be ready to hunt tonight, Bella. I mean it."

"I will be," I lied. I'd already bagged and tagged my man. No hunting necessary.

Xoxoxoxoxox

"God, that was the longest fucking day ever," Rose complained as we piled into the car.

"Hey, at least you didn't have Jessica talking about your boyfriend the entire fucking time," I muttered, yanking off my gown. "I was this close to punching her."

"Now that I would have paid to see. Did you hear them yelling for us?"

Alice snickered. "Of course. Emmett's the loudest person in the world. But it was kinda cool."

"It was. I'm just glad Jess didn't realize that our group was the same group that yelled for David Cullen earlier."

Rose laughed. "Emmett had to be so thrilled when he heard that name called. He was excited to make a spectacle of himself."

"Of course he was," Alice pointed out. "That's Emmett in a nutshell."

"Yeah, but it worked, I hope. Twitter was full of shit about their cousin," I told them.

"That's good," Ali said.

Rose pulled up at home and we hurried out of the car. I ran right to Edward, throwing my arms around him after I saw that he looked safe and whole.

Edward kissed me thoroughly before pulling back and smiling at me. "Congrats, baby."

"Thank you! God, I'm so glad to be done with it. If I had to listen to Jessica talk about you for one more minute, her eye would have matched her robe." And her mouth would be bleeding and her nose would be broken and normally I was not a violent person.

Edward laughed. "Is that so? I love when you get tough." He bent to my ear and whispered, "It's sexy."

I laughed and gave him another kiss, then turned and hugged my father, Sue, and the Cullens.

"I got reservations at Max's for an hour from now," Dad told us. He looked at Edward and me. "I'm not sure what you want to do but I made enough for all of us. I know Bella's always wanted to eat there so…"

I did, but not at the expense of my boyfriend's privacy. We needed to talk it over. "Give us a second, Dad." I pulled Edward into my room and threw my robe onto my dresser. "I'm cool with just staying in and ordering if you want."

Edward frowned. "You're not spending your graduation night eating takeout in your apartment, hiding out with me. I can stay here…" He broke off when he saw my expression. There was no way that I was going to go some fancy dinner while my boyfriend hid out in my bedroom eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. That was not the kind of celebration I had in mind. "Or I can go with you," he suggested.

That was unexpected. "But, people will see you."

"People already have. It's not about me being seen, it's about you being seen with me. I don't want you to get harassed while you're trying to sightsee, Bella."

I wasn't worried about that. I just didn't want him to be crowded and bothered. "I don't care about that."

Edward smiled at me. "I want to celebrate with you, Bella. And you've always wanted to eat at this place?"

Oh Lord. I kind of already had, though it had been an abbreviated visit and I'd barely touched any food. "Well, I've sort of been there once before, but I didn't really eat." Edward cocked an eyebrow and waited. "That's where Colin took me the night that I met you," I admitted.

He frowned for a second before smirking. "It's time you ate there with the right guy, then, isn't it?"

Really? I wanted to go, badly, but not at Edward's expense. "If you're sure."

"I'm sure, baby."

We were going out. Edward and I were going out somewhere for the first time. I really kind of loved it, even if it was treading on dangerous ground. "It'll be our first public date," I pointed out, unable to contain my smile.

Edward brought my hand to his lips and I nearly swooned at the look in his eyes. So fucking sexy. "May I escort you to dinner, Ms. Swan?"

"Certainly, Mr. Cullen." I kissed him and felt his fingers tighten on mine as his lips moved with mine. God, I wanted him. "And I have some news for you," I whispered as I pressed against him, wishing we were alone so I could start my private celebration.

"What would that be?" he asked, his voice rough and sexy with desire.

"I'm a sure thing." His jaw dropped comically at that news and I touched his cheek before heading back to where our families awaited us. I was going to rock Edward's world tonight, to thank him for being here and risking his anonymity for me this way. It meant more to me than I could say, so I'd show him instead.


	53. Plans, Dinners & Officer Swan

I left Edward to talk to Kate as I made my way into the living room.

"What did you decide?" Dad asked. Everybody was eying me with interest.

"Edward's going to come to dinner." I couldn't help it, I was happy. I would not have been able to enjoy my dinner imagining him holed up here waiting for me.

"What?" Emmett demanded. "Why in the hell is he ruining my perfect execution of Operation Cousin by stepping out with you now? This won't do."

"Emmett, it's not about you," Esme scolded him.

"I know, but Ma! It went great! People bought it! I have to think. We can still do this." He whirled around the room and then his face lit up. "I have it! Alice, you pretend to be Cousin David. You've got short black hair and no boobs and ow!" he screeched when she kicked his shin. "What? It could work."

"I do not look like a boy!" she shouted.

"Well, not right now but you could if…" he broke off when her fist raised. "Fine, fine, I'll think of something else." He started pacing again and then he nodded to himself. "Got it! You call the restaurant and find out if they have an alternate exit. Also see if they have any reservations available." He pointed at my father, who looked shocked at the authority being directed at him. "Dad, you call a car rental company. Get something completely different from what we're driving now. And fast. I need fast. I have to run out."

He turned and walked to my bedroom first. "I have a plan! Tell Kate I'm on it! See you in a few." Then he whirled and stormed out the front door with nary a word, just pointing at Dad and Carlisle as if to remind them of their tasks.

"What the hell was that?" Dad demanded when the door closed.

"I don't know, but we better do what he says." Carlisle sighed. "When Emmett gets an idea in his head, it's impossible to shake out."

"He was totally hot like that," Rose murmured to me. "All commanding and sexy. I might let him order me around later."

I shook my head. "You two kill me."

"Oh please, Bella, like you're not wishing you could go back in your room and get Edward out of that sexy suit?" she asked softly. I couldn't lie about that so I just smiled. "Thought so," she snickered.

Dad took out his phone and dialed the restaurant, muttering about who that boy thought he was. Carlisle was already on the phone with the car rental place.

Edward came out and pulled me against him. "What's going on?" he asked.

I snuggled into him. "Dad's calling the restaurant to see if there's a back entrance or anything and your father is arranging another car. I'm not sure why."

Edward shook his head. "Where did Emmett go?"

I shrugged because none of us had a clue. "Nobody knows. First, he tried to convince Alice that she should pretend to be David Cullen because she has black hair and can pass for a boy. You can imagine how that went over." Edward's beautiful green eyes widened. "He thought for a minute and said he had a plan. He ordered Dad to call the restaurant and your dad to call for a car and then he took off."

"Great." Edward addressed Rose. "Do you know what he's up to?"

She laughed. "No, but whatever it is, it'll be fun. Plus he was sexy as hell when he started ordering people around. He even forgot to be afraid of Charlie."

Dad's face showed just how irritating he found that to be as he disconnected. "I heard that. Okay, there is an employee elevator and a back entrance into the building. I've had them push our table to the very back of the restaurant so that we can be as much out of view as possible."

"I have a car on standby. I have no idea if I'm supposed to have it standing somewhere though," Carlisle told us. "Where in the hell is Emmett?"

"Right here!" he shouted. "Happy graduation, girls!" He threw a hat at me which I barely managed to catch. Alice didn't bother, letting hers fall to the ground while she looked it like it was a live snake or something.

"Proud grad? Do you honestly think I'd wear this?" she demanded. I had to admit, it wasn't any of our styles.

"You can and you will," Emmett told her. "I didn't go to all the trouble to invent a fake cousin only to have Eddie screw shit up by parading Bella around at dinner." He grinned at me. "No offense. You absolutely deserve to be paraded, but the whole point was to get in and out without people knowing who you are. So, you're going to wear those, keep the bill low over your face and do your damndest not to be seen."

"Emmett, I don't think…" Esme commented, break off looking stunned when Emmett held up a hand to stop her. I had a feeling that didn't happen very often.

"Ma, I got this. I've been getting Eddie in and out of places for the past eight years, have I not? He doesn't need a bodyguard because he has me."

"So, what is the plan, then?" Dad asked, sounding annoyed. Uh oh, he didn't like being told what to do.

"Simple. You and the Brandons and the girls go up first. We'll be right behind you. I'll be excited about running into my new friend that I met at graduation." Dad coughed and gagged at that comment making Emmett smile. "Did you ask if they have any seating available?"

"Yes, and they don't. They're booked solid today."

"Good. We'll try to get a table and they'll tell us no, or more likely they'll start scrambling to figure something out so they can accommodate the big star and you, my newest and bestest friend, will tell us that we can join you since some of your party didn't show." He waved a hand. "We'll have dinner and we'll bond and you'll give me Rosie's hand."

Rose whacked him. "That doesn't explain why we're wearing these stupid hats."

Emmett blew her a kiss. "Well, clearly, Charlie bought them for you and you don't want to offend him. The point is, to try to make sure nobody gets pictures of you and your names aren't out there. I thought about getting you wigs but I don't know where to find those and the only ones they had at the store were crazy purple ones." Um, thank God he didn't stick us in purple wigs. I'd have done it, for Edward, but I wouldn't have been happy about it. And Alice would probably have an aneurism.

"What about the car?" Edward asked.

"Simple. People are going to know we're there. We got lucky at graduation but even if the paps had to travel, they're here now. We'll separate after dinner. There's a back entrance?" he asked Dad, who nodded. "Good. You all will exit that way. We'll go right out the front and lead them away. You come back here. I'll lose them and we'll switch cars and meet you here. Tomorrow, we're out. It couldn't be easier."

Edward smiled sadly at me. "I can just stay here." He touched my cheek. "Baby, I don't want you wearing silly hats and dodging photographers."

"Edward, I don't mind," I told him. He was worth a little aggravation, a lot, for that matter.

"None of us do." Rose pulled her hair into a ponytail and put the hat on. "Worst case scenario, it doesn't work, we're photographed in these ridiculous hats and our names are out there. We're prepared for that and it'll happen eventually. Best case scenario, it works and we get to hit Europe anonymously. Just give it a shot."

I put my hat on without a protest and we all turned to Ali. She sighed but put it on. "You really could pass for David if you'd just wear pants," Emmett told her, pissing her off all over again.

She glared at him. If looks could kill, he'd be dead. "I do not look like a boy."

"You could pass. That might explain why you go for them." She punched him and Emmett laughed and put a strong arm around her, holding her against him. She tried to pull away but he was too strong for her.

"I hate you!"

"No, you love me, little David."

Dad stepped in. "Would you two quit your squabbling? We have to go if we're doing this."

"Are you sure you're good with this?" Edward asked me.

I cupped his cheeks. "Yes. So it's not a traditional first date by any means, but what about us has been traditional anyway? I want you to be there. If things explode, we'll deal with it. You talked to Kate, right?"

He smiled. "Yeah. She's not thrilled but she's on standby if your name gets out there."

"Enough yapping. Bella, you and Rose ride with your Dad and Sue. Alice, you go with your parents. We'll ride with ours. You lead the way and we'll hang back a minute so you can get in first, clearly without us. Charlie, you do your part," Emmett ordered.

Uh oh. Dad glared at him. "Just who do you think you're talking to, boy?"

Emmett's blue eyes showed fear again and he stepped away from my father's heated gaze. "I was just making sure we were all on the same page, sir. El presidente?" he asked, cracking me up. I loved when he called Dad that.

Esme laughed and got between them. "Emmett, I'm sure that Charlie understands the role he has to play."

"Yes, the part where I pretend that I don't want to kick his ass. You'll have to send your first Oscar to me if I pull this off," Dad told Edward, making us all laugh, save for Emmett. "Sue, why didn't you let me bring my things?" he asked. Was my dad sulking?

She took his hand and I smiled. It was good to see someone caring for him. "Because you have no need for your gun, baton or taser when you're visiting your daughter."

"Clearly I do," he muttered. "Boy thinks he can order me around like I'm one of his biker pals."

"Now, Charlie. What do you know about coordinating something like this?" Sue asked, straightening his tie.

"I'm a police chief; I know how to run an op, even a ridiculous one like this."

"I'm sure you do," Esme agreed. "Do you have anything else to input? Some changes we can make?"

Dad frowned and thought about it. "No. It's as good as anything I've got."

"Let's do this, then!" Emmett exclaimed. "It's gonna rock." Our first date. It was going to be interesting, at least.

Xoxoxoxoxox

"I hope he's worth it," Dad told me as we pulled up outside the restaurant and got out of the car. "Subterfuge, lying, ducking the press."

"He is, Dad."

He smiled and slipped an arm around me as we headed inside. "I can see that he is. My little girl's all grown up." He sounded sad about that and I leaned against him.

"I'll always be your little girl."

"Darn right you will," Dad agreed.

Sue smiled and took a picture of the two of us. "He's been talking about this day non-stop for weeks, you know."

Dad blushed and Rose chuckled. "It's important."

"And I'm glad you're here, Dad," I assured him. The doors opened and we stepped outside. Seconds later, the other elevator opened and the Brandons got out. Dad led us inside and gave his name to the hostess. I saw her eyes widen and I knew without turning that my man was here.

"Charlie, is that you?" Emmett's loud voice carried throughout the restaurant.

Dad tensed but turned to face him, doing as he'd been asked. "Yeah, Emmett. Fancy meeting you here." Rose and I exchanged glances and laughed at my Dad's 'acting.'

"We heard this was the best restaurant in town," Emmett said, practically yelling. "Our cousin David blew us off, can you believe that?" He shook his head sadly. "He's already back in the chem lab doing something ingenious I'm sure. The kid will cure cancer, just you wait and see."

"That's great," Dad told him. "Well, I hope you enjoy your dinner." Oops, that wasn't part of the plan.

"Don't rush off yet, Charlie," Emmett ordered. "I haven't met your girls! Hello ladies." He smiled at us and Rose moaned like a bitch in heat. I nudged her.

"Oh my God," Alice cried, calling on her elementary school acting prowess. "You're Edward Cullen!"

Edward smiled at her and she looked down, as if she was embarrassed. I laughed and did the same. Were I really just meeting Edward for the first time like this, I probably would go mute. Or pass out. I nearly did the first time anyway, when I thought I was crazy.

"Do you have any tables available?" Carlisle inquired of the hostess.

"Uh, I'm not sure. We're pretty booked. I need to go get the manager," she stuttered, staring at my boyfriend like he was a ghost. Edward smiled and made her gasp and stumble. Dear God, woman, show a little class. I wanted to hit her. This was becoming a thing with me today. Not good.

"I know you're probably crazy with graduation. We can go somewhere else," Carlisle suggested.

"No, no, we are, but I'm sure he'll want you to stay so…"

Emmett looked at my father and he sighed. "Actually, some of our party isn't going to make it tonight either so they're welcome to sit with us."

"We're old friends," Emmett told the hostess. My Dad was grimacing and I fought more giggles.

"Okay, um, sure. Tom will seat you." The waiter grabbed more menus and led us through the restaurant. Edward was walking behind me, so as to appear separate from me, which bugged, but I got it. Everybody was staring. It was a bit disconcerting so I kept my head down and walked next to Dad. Suddenly I was grateful for this ugly purple hat.

We got to our table and Emmett started directing traffic. "Eddie, you here." He put Edward in the corner with his back facing the restaurant which was a good plan. "Pretty brunette that I've yet to be introduced to, next to him." I laughed as I sat down. He was killing me, but he was keeping up his charade, that was for sure. Edward put his hand on my knee under the table and I linked my fingers with his. Finally I could touch him again, even if it was in secret.

"Little boy, you next." Oh fuck. I saw Alice stomp on his foot as she took the seat next to me, causing him to grunt. "The lovely Celia next to her. Hank, you here." He grinned at them. "I'm so excited to get more time with you. I'd like to hear more about that little town of yours and your insurance business. I'm sure it's quite exciting!" Oh yeah, the insurance biz was a total blast. Still, Em was being sweet.

He pulled the chair at the head of the table out and held it out for Rose. "Stunning blonde, I'm looking forward to getting to know _you._ " Dad made a point of clearing his throat at that. "Ma, you sit across from Eddie, Dad next to her, then you, Charlie. I'll sit next to this beautiful flower." Emmett kissed Sue's hand and Dad looked fit to be tied.

"Actually, I think I'll sit next to you, Emmett. We can continue discussing your views on capital punishment." Oh, boy.

Emmett paled a bit but took the seat that Dad directed him to. "I don't think even the law should take another man's life, Charlie, especially when that man is a good and wonderful person."

"If he's so wonderful, why is he in trouble?" Dad inquired.

"Maybe he was led astray by someone, a younger brother perhaps." Edward stiffened and shot his brother a look. "Or maybe he was raised by absentee parents and was a latchkey kid." That made Edward laugh while Esme gave him the stink eye. "I'm just saying, you have to consider a person's circumstances before you execute them."

Our waiter gave us menus and took our drink orders before finally moving away. "Alright, people are finally starting to look away from us. There's a table full of girls that are about to have simultaneous orgasms…ow!" he protested when Dad stabbed him with his fork. "Well, it's true. They're plotting, I can tell. Bathroom trips are about to start, I'd bet a million bucks on it. Want to bet me, Charlie?" he asked. Damn, the bathroom was right by us.

"No," Dad told him.

"Fine. Anyway, they got pictures of you, Edward, but none of the girls. They had zero interest in them, for obvious reasons. One of them is eyefucking me right now. Damn it, Charlie, stop stabbing me. Rosie, don't go kick her ass, you know you have my heart." Dad grinned as he wielded his fork.

Rose snorted. "I have other parts of you too, Cullen, and don't you forget it." Oh man, I knew what parts she was referring to. "Plus, she's probably only trying to get to Edward through you like the rest do."

"Hey! I'll have you know that I've had plenty of women…" he broke off when he saw how pissed off my Dad was at that idea. "Tell me that I'm a sweet, virginal young man," he amended, smiling nervously. "Are you sure you can't switch places with Sue?" he asked Dad.

"Quite sure. Let's hear more about these women," Dad suggested.

"Nothing to tell. You know I can't see another woman now that I've seen my Rose." Emmett grinned at her and Rose just laughed at him.

"You noticed one eyefucking you," she pointed out. Before he could respond, the waiter appeared along with a guy in a gray suit.

"Hello, I'm Sid Murphy, manager here, and we just wanted to welcome you to Max's. If there's anything I can do or get for you, please let me know and I'll take care of it personally."

Emmett's eyes widened and he smiled. Dad cleared his throat and spoke up before Emmett could ask for God knew what. "As I'm sure you can imagine, we're a little worried about privacy. If you could just insure that nobody approaches, I'd appreciate it. I'm here to celebrate my daughter's graduation and the Cullens just happened to sit next to me there and we ran into one another here. I'd like this day to be about her, if you know what I'm saying." My dad was so sweet.

"Absolutely, sir. I can assure that you'll have no trouble. Tom, here, will take care of anything you need and we'll be sure to give you as much privacy as we can."

"We'll need access to that employee elevator after dinner," Dad informed him.

"I'll make sure of it, sir."

"Thank you," Dad said. He took off and we placed our orders.

Edward leaned a little closer to me. "Happy first public date," he whispered.

I giggled. "I'm having a good time." I really was. Watching Emmett do his thing was like attending a high school play or something.

"I'll make it up to you one day," he murmured.

I squeezed his hand. "I'm happier than I've ever been, Edward. You have nothing to make up to me." Didn't he know that this night was better than just about any other I'd ever had at this campus, save the ones I'd had with him already?

"Incoming," Emmett said softly. I angled my head toward Edward and saw three giggling females make their way into the bathroom. "Told you," Emmett addressed Dad.

"And I didn't take your bet, did I?" he asked.

Emmett looked put out. "You should have. Has your father always been such a stick in the mud, Bella?"

I laughed and turned to him. Before I could reply, the girls exited the bathroom and one snapped a picture of us.

"Fuck. Emmett, phone," Edward told him.

Emmett glared and stood up. "Oh, my God, that is such a cool phone!" he shouted. "Do you mind if I see it? What brand is this?" The girl stood and stared as Emmett took her phone from her hand. "Does this have talk and text capability? What about memo recording? Can you take video?" He kept talking as he herded the girls toward their own table. "This is really cool." A waiter strolled past him, carrying a pitcher of water and Emmett quite deliberately threw the phone into it. Holy shit. "Oops! Slippery little sucker."

The girl finally came alive and she screeched, "My phone!"

"I'm so, so sorry!" Emmett told her, trying to look upset. "Here, let me pay for that." He handed her wads of cash before turning to the waiter and fishing the phone out of the water, wrapping it in a napkin he snagged from the girls table. "I'll just take this to my phone guy. He can probably fix it. Once again, I'm very sorry about your phone."

He smiled and turned to face the rest of the diners. "Please, go back to your fine dining. I don't think I'm going to need to borrow any of your phones, at least I hope not!" His tone implied that there might be more phones getting a bath if anybody dared take more pictures. "I thought not. Enjoy your meal."

I exchanged glances with Rose as Emmett walked back to our table. She looked proud and it set me off, which made all of us giggle. Well, all us kids, anyway. The parents looked a bit pissed.

"Really, Emmett, did you have to do that?" Esme asked, sounding horrified.

"Hey, I doubt anybody is going to take a picture of Eddie again until we get up to leave. That was the point, after all."

"Destruction of property, creating a public nuisance, threatening innocent people…you give me one good reason why I shouldn't arrest you," Dad demanded.

"There's your reason," Emmett told him, pointing at me and Edward. "I did it for them."

"You'd do anything to protect your brother, huh?" Dad asked, lowering his voice.

"And Bella. She's my little sister already, whether you like it or not," Emmett said. I smiled at him. He'd accepted me from the first minute and I loved him for that.

"I think I like it," Dad responded, finally smiling. Emmett looked like he'd been hit by a two by four. "What you lack in subtlety you make up for in loyalty. I can respect that."

"I knew you liked me!" Emmett was happy now, grinning wildly.

"I wouldn't go that far," Dad clarified, making the smile dim. "But Rose does and I want her to be happy, so I'll tolerate you." That made Emmett happy again. "I reserve the right to change my opinion if you get her or any of these others arrested."

"Yes, sir," Emmett said. "I promise not to get them arrested."

"What if I get arrested for murdering him, Charlie?" Alice asked Dad, smiling innocently.

"I'll get the top criminal defense attorney that money can buy and do some evidence tampering," Dad replied, making the table crack up, except for Emmett.

"No fair! Edward does his own d…" he broke off before finishing the sentence, which I imagine was a good thing. "Never mind."

Our food came so we all dug in. "So, does the food live up to your expectations?" Edward asked quietly.

It did, but I was more anxious for after dinner. Wait until he saw what I had planned. "It's good, but I'm looking forward to dessert."

Edward groaned and leaned closer to me. "You're such a tease, baby. What do you have in store for me?"

I laughed as I cut my steak. "Let's just say that you're going to find out what it's like to be in your brother's shoes for once."

Edward wasn't quite sure what to make of that, I could tell. His green eyes widened and his mouth worked a few times. Was he afraid? How cute was that? I laughed at him. "It won't hurt too much," I assured him.

Edward cleared his throat and started eating again. "At least you have better company this time out, right?" he asked, changing the subject.

I smiled at him. "The best."

We ate and talked quietly for another minute. I saw someone standing in the bathroom doorway out of the corner of my eye and figured Edward was getting checked out again. It was a guy this time and I kept my head down as he turned our way. "Bella, is that you?"

Oh shit. I knew that voice. I looked up and there he was, Mike Newton, dressed up in a suit and smiling at me hopefully. Again. Ugh. I groaned quietly. "Hi, Mike."

Edward tensed next to me. "Hey! How, um, do you know these guys?" he asked, pointing at Edward. I refused to look at him; I didn't think I could play it off if I did.

"My father met them at graduation and we asked them to join us at dinner," I replied. Edward's hand made contact with my thigh and he squeezed lightly. Poor baby. I wanted to claim him, too.

"Oh. Well, that's cool. Not every day you eat with a celebrity." Mike laughed and messed with his hair. "So, were you guys going to come to the party tonight? You're welcome to bring your boyfriend, remember?" He glanced at Edward and I wondered if he knew or suspected. Nah. He couldn't.

"I remember, but I'm going to spend some time with my dad and stuff. You know how it is," I replied.

"Sure. Well, it'll go late, so maybe after…"

"Move along, Newton," Rose butted in, flicking her wrist. "And don't go jabbering about us having dinner with the Cullens to all your gossip buddies. I really don't want all the crazies coming after me just because I met these two today, got it?" The threat was clear in her tone. God, I loved Rose.

"Sure, Rose. I mean, who would I tell, right?" He smiled nervously.

"Everybody," she responded. "Just like you mouthed off about Bella's boyfriend. If I get one email, phone call or text about this, I'll know just who to blame, won't I?" She would blame him, too. I'd almost pay to see that.

"So, you have a boyfriend, beautiful?" Edward asked me, sounding hurt. "I hope he knows how lucky he is."

Mike looked stunned and I couldn't help but laugh and move closer to Edward. "He knows. But you know, you could always give me your number, in case he forgets," I suggested flirtatiously.

"I'll have to do that." He flashed me a devastating smile that made me want to bite him. "It was nice meeting you, Mark."

"Um, yeah." Mike, or Mark, haha, shifted nervously. "I'll just get back to my parents. It was nice seeing you again, Bella. If you get a chance…" he stopped before finishing. "Okay, then, bye."

"Bye, Mike." He took off quickly.

"I can't believe we ran into your stalker," Edward told me.

"Stalker?" Uh oh. Dad had on his scary face.

"The nuisance, Chief. Bella's done a good job keeping him at bay since freshman year, but he still asks her out constantly." Rose laughed. "It's actually pretty amusing."

"And sad," Alice added.

Esme laughed. "Your face, Edward. I don't think I've ever seen you jealous before."

"It is new," Carlisle agreed.

"He knows he has nothing to be jealous of," I assured him, sliding my hand over his on my leg. "He's just a bit of a pain, Dad. Nothing to worry about."

"Better not be," he muttered. "All these boys fluttering around. I should have sent you to an all girl's college."

"She still would have found Edward, Charlie," Emmett told him. "And who knows who else she might have gone trolling for. Internet pervs, priests at the girl's school…ow! What?" Dad stabbed his hand with his fork again.

"Don't bring religious figures into your perversions, boy," Dad scolded him.

"I'm just saying, she did alright after all," Emmett said, rubbing his sore, forked hand.

"She did," Charlie admitted.

I grinned. "Thanks, Dad."

"Yeah, well, he knows," Dad murmured. "And he knows he better not hurt you."

"Never," Edward promised.

"Good. Now let's get back to eating unless there are any more boys lusting after you that I'm going to have to dispose of," Dad said.

Emmett grinned. "Well, there is definitely a boy…ow! Did you kick me?" he asked Rose.

"No," she responded. "But I can guess who did."

"Oh,yeah." Em grinned at Alice. "You know, Eddie, we should have gotten Alice a pendant, too. Something made of jasper, perhaps."

"I hate you," she declared angrily.

"What are they talking about, dear?" Celia asked Alice.

"Nothing, Mom." She shot Emmett a nasty look. "We'll talk about it later."

"Yes, I think we will," her mother replied.

We got through the rest of the meal with incident, thankfully. The Cullens tried to pay the bill but Dad wouldn't let them. "This was on me. You can get it next time." Next time? Yes!

Edward helped me up from the table and released me quickly, unfortunately. "It was nice meeting you."

"You too," I told him with a smile. Sid came back to escort us from the restaurant. Alice, Rose and I walked behind the boys, heads down, just in case more pictures were being taken.

"I enjoyed meeting you all! Charlie, I'll be in touch about our golf game!" Emmett randomly shouted as we parted ways. Sid led us to the private elevator and keyed us in.

"That was interesting," Mrs. Brandon commented when the doors closed.

"That's one word for it," my Dad responded.

"They seem like nice boys," Sue declared. "I'm happy for you girls," she said to Rose and me.

"They are."

"I just hope you don't have to go through such a production every time you go out," Dad said. "That was crazy. And Emmett is going to get his sixth arrest if he doesn't watch it. I won't have anything to do with it either."

"We won't." One day.

The doors opened and it was blessedly quiet when we stepped outside. We hurried to the car. I could hear the commotion around the side of the building and knew my poor boyfriend had been outed. "Damn, they're loud," Dad observed as he got the car started and pulled away.

"Yeah." They sucked. Why couldn't he have dinner out without it being a thing?

"Are you sure you're ready for this, Bells?" Dad asked.

"Yes." It may suck, but it was worth it.

"I've got her back, Charlie," Rose promised.

"Good. You girls stick together."

"Always." Rose grinned at me and I grinned back. I knew I could always count on her and Alice when times were tough.

Xoxoxoxoxo

It felt like it took forever until I got a text from Edward saying all was clear and he was on the way back. Thank God. Alice and her family took off for some alone time away from all our crazy and Sue helped me repack using the luggage Dad had given me. It was way better than what I had.

Just after I returned to the living room, the door opened. Edward hurried and scooped me into a hug. "Hey, baby."

"Hey!" I kissed him, relieved to see him again. "You made it."

"We did. It wasn't easy and I think my parents nearly lost their dinner a few times."

Esme shook her head and nudged Edward away so she could hug me. "I did not. But I doubt I'll be able to sleep tonight without visions of slamming into walls at a hundred miles an hour in my head."

"We were never near a wall!" Emmett protested. "I'm a good driver, Ma!"

"Yes, you're a very good driver," she assured him. "Where's Alice?"

"She and her parents went out for awhile," I answered.

Esme smiled and slid her arm through mine. "That's nice. Now I can kidnap you and Rose without feeling too guilty about it. Can I see your bedroom?" Oh, God, alone time with Mrs. Cullen. I looked at Edward who shrugged. Rose got captured too and she brought us into my room, shutting the door behind her.

She glanced around. "This is lovel."

I looked at my simple room, the pictures of me and the girls, my bags piled against the wall and smiled. "It's been home for a couple years now. We like it."

Rose plopped on the bed and Esme grinned and joined her. I figured I'd look stupid standing there so I sat as well.

"I just wanted to take a moment to talk to you two about everything and to thank you for how happy you've made my sons," she began, smiling softly. "I hope this weekend, the reality of what it's like to be with Edward and of course the mischievous side of Emmett haven't given you cause to worry, or question your relationships."

Rose laughed. "I knew all about his mischievous side, Esme. I like it."

Esme smirked. "Well, you can certainly see why he tends to get himself into situations. He's very impulsive, but his heart is in the right place. Just keep your sense of humor and punish him when the need arises."

Rose's wicked grin flashed and I groaned. I did not need to hear about their punishments. "I will, Esme."

Subject change. Immediately. "I'm grateful that Edward has him. He's such a good big brother," I told her.

Esme smiled. "He is. When Edward used to get picked on as a kid, fists would fly. He never cared that he was going to get suspended or grounded, just that someone had upset his little brother. He's still defending him today, in his own way. And having a lot of fun doing it."

She touched my shoulder. "This chaos, with the photographers and everything, I can't promise you that it'll go away. I imagine after awhile they'll lose interest, when someone newer and hotter comes around." I glared at the very idea and she laughed. "I mean by their standards, not yours. There's always that next big star around the corner. I just don't want you to regret being with him. He's worth the irritation."

As if there was any doubt of that in my mind? "I know. I know it's not going to be easy and one day soon it'll be me that's caught in the storm, but I promise it's not going to scare me away. I'm here for as long as he'll have me."

She looked relieved at that. "He'll have you forever then. I know my sons."

Rose chuckled. "I didn't buy into it, you know, that whole _one_ business, at first. I knew I loved the idiot, but I figured we'd burn out and move on." Rose smiled sheepishly. "It's kind of how it goes for me. But he's still here and I have no interest in moving on."

Esme shook her head. "I don't blame you. I thought Carlisle was full of it when he first told me but at the same time, I had no interest in getting away from him to find someone who seemed saner."

"Bella believed right away," Rose said with a grin.

I blushed and Esme patted my arm. "She knew him." She sighed. "You don't know how much I've worried that he would fall for the wrong girl, the one that cared about him for the wrong reasons. When I heard how you met, I was relieved that you got to spend some time with one another without his fame coming into play."

I plucked at my comforter. "I knew, though. I went looking for him."

Esme stilled my hands. "I know, but you didn't know you had him from the first moment, did you?" I shook my head. "And you liked him even before you knew?"

I met her eyes and nodded. "Oh yes. He was so funny and charming and…" I broke off when Rose giggled.

"Sexy," she supplied. "Esme, you would have died if you could have seen their messages to one another."

She laughed. "Emmett's told me a little bit." Oh, God, I was the one that was going to die. She giggled. "Don't worry, Edward didn't give him any of the dirty details either, just enough for me to know that you two had chemistry, which I can now see with my own eyes."

That went without saying. "I love him."

Her eyes welled up. "I know you do, sweetheart. And he's completely, madly in love with you. I couldn't be happier about it. Really, I just wanted to welcome both of you to the family and…" she broke off when a high pitched scream sounded from the living room.

"Oh, fuck," Rose muttered. My heart stopped for a second and then I was up and running.

I threw my door open as I heard "Edward!" shouted. That's when I recognized the voice. Hell no. Jessica was coming at my petrified looking boyfriend and I ran and planted myself in front of him before she could reach him. One touch and I was going to punch her in the face.

"Back the fuck off, Jessica, right now," I ordered her, but she kept walking. I got a fist at the ready.

Rose grabbed her from behind. "Jess, I will flatten you if you don't step back."

"He's here!" she screamed, trying to get away from Rose, eyes only on Edward. Good God, is this what they were like? The poor man.

"Damn it, Emmett, hold her," Rose begged. He grabbed Jess and maneuvered her back. I tried to calm down but it wasn't working. I wanted, no, I needed to beat on her for trying to touch what was mine.

"Baby?" Are you okay?" Edward sounded nervous, so I turned to let him know that I was just fine. I wasn't, but I would be. He ran his hands down my arms.

"I'm fine," I managed, though my teeth were on edge.

"Baby? What the fuck is going on here? Why is he touching you?" Jessica asked loudly. Jesus, Jess, why not broadcast it to the neighbors?

"Can I backhand her?" Rose asked Dad. He shook his head and she sighed. "Damn it. Fine. Jess, shut the fuck up and we'll answer your questions. But before we do, I'm going to tell you one thing." Rose got right in her face with that same look she had when she threatened Mike earlier. "If you breathe one word of this to anybody, I'll take you down. Do you understand me?"

"What?" Jessica asked, still trying to get to Edward. "Why? What's he doing here?"

I snapped. Finally I could tell her the truth. Eat it, Jessica. "He is my boyfriend," I told her. "Not Todd, not Mike, not any other loser you've decided to pair me up with in the last month. Edward Cullen. And I'm sick to death of the way you're looking at him so if you want to be able to see out of either one of your eyes, you'll knock it off right now."

"Bella…" Dad said, putting a restraining hand on my arm. I jerked it away. Edward pulled me against his body and I felt a little better. Mine. He was mine.

Jess looked like she was about to swallow her tongue. "He's touching you."

"He does a lot more than that," I told her, not giving a damn that all our parents were in the room. I'd put on a fucking show for her if it weren't the fact that she wasn't allowed to see my boyfriend in all his glory.

Rose laughed. "You tell her, Bella."

"All day long, I had to listen to you talk about the things you were going to do to find my boyfriend. _My boyfriend!"_ I shouted. "He's not a person to you, he's just a thing. A sexy actor that you want to add to your collection of random fucks. Well you can't, because he's _mine."_

Jess stared as I kept right on going. "People like you are the reason why we haven't told anybody about us, you know? I had to wear a ridiculous hat and pretend not to know him at dinner just so we could have a date! And I don't mind because I love him! He's worth it! But if you would just back the hell off and realize that he's a real person with real feelings, maybe we wouldn't have to do shit like that."

She deflated a bit and stopped struggling so Emmett released her. "I don't understand this," she said. "How did this happen?"

I didn't have it in me to spew our well thought out lie but thankfully Rose stepped in. "I met Emmett when he was test driving his new car by driving up the coast. We hit it off. Edward was with him and I invited them over. The rest is history."

"You've been dating Edward Cullen all this time and not said a word to me? You bitch!" Jessica yelled at me, getting her fire back. "I thought we were friends!"

Friends? That whore! I ran over to her and poked her in her not yet fake chest. "Friends? All you do is insult and make fun of me. How is that being a friend?"

Jessica's looked like a fish out of water, gulping in air. "It's teasing. You guys give each other shit all the time. I'm not allowed to?"

"You're mean, Jessica. We tease, joke around. There's nothing teasing in what you say." The fact that she thought there was made her more of an idiot than I thought she was.

"You let me go on and on this morning knowing exactly where Edward was and who he was here to see." She actually had the balls to get teary about it. Oh, really? Like it was easy for me to listen to her crap all day long?

"Yes, I did, because I was protecting him from you. He'll be leaving tomorrow and I wanted to get out of town without shit like this going down." I looked over at Edward. "I'm sorry, baby."

He moved in and wrapped his arms around me. "You have nothing to apologize for, love. If she's going to out us, there's nothing we can do about it." I stayed focused on him. He was much better to look at than she was any day.

"Oh yes there is." I had no idea what Rose was talking about but I saw out of the corner of my eye that she whispered something in Jessica's ear that had her looking completely petrified. "And I won't hesitate to make that public, Jess. So you better think twice about saying anything about this."

"Who'd believe me anyway? Who would believe that Bella Swan could land Edward Cullen?" Edward actually growled. I didn't know whether to hold him back or take a shot of my own.

"Excuse me?" Dad stopped me from doing either. He was royally pissed off. I'd only heard that tone once in my life but I remembered it well. "Did you just imply that my daughter isn't good enough for Edward? Is that what you said?"

"Er, no, it's just…"

"It's just my ass. My daughter is a wonderful woman who more than deserves Edward. If anything, it's the other way around. So don't you dare come into my daughter's apartment, trespassing by the way as you weren't invited, and insult her or I'll have you arrested." I was pretty sure Jessica might just have a heart attack right in my living room based on the way she was gasping for air.

Emmett cheered. "I think perhaps you should leave," Esme suggested. "And I think you should think long and hard before you tell anybody where my son is. I would be severely upset if Bella's graduation party were to get interrupted again. Do I make myself clear?" Damn, she was scary.

"Yes. I won't say anything. I'm…I'm sorry I hurt your feelings, Bella. I just…I should go."

"Yes, you should." Rose turned her toward the doorway.

"It was nice meeting you," she said to Edward. Good God, woman, get over it. Emmett laughed.

"I would say the same if you hadn't upset the girl I love. Perhaps we'll meet again someday under better circumstances. That'll be up to you and whether you keep quiet about this."

"I will!" She paused. "I'll talk to you later Bella. I'm sorry if I insulted you."

"Bye, Jess," I replied, not sparing her a glance. I wasn't taking my eyes off of Edward. He was mine.

"And that's why we lock the door," Dad scolded us once the door had been shut again. I relaxed a bit when she was gone. If there would be fallout from her knowing, we'd deal with it tomorrow.

"Oops, sorry," Emmett said sheepishly.

"I think it might be time for all of us to leave," Esme announced, glancing at my father.

He met her gaze and nodded. "I think so. Come here, Bells." He held his arms opens and I went into his hug. "I'm so very proud of you. Don't you ever let anybody bring you down, you hear me? You're too good for every single boy out there, including this one."

"Very true," Edward agreed, making me laugh. They were too cute, united in their love for me. I was a lucky girl.

"You have fun in Europe and you call me if you need anything."

"I will, Dad." I kissed him and then got a hug from Esme.

"Remember what I said," she reminded me. He was worth it. I'd never forget.

"I will. Thanks, Esme."

"You take care and let me know if my boy steps out of line," she said with a grin.

I giggled because he looked nervous. "I will."

Carlisle gave me a hug. "I'd say the same but we both know their mother is all you need on your side and they'll do whatever you want."

Dad turned to Rose. "And you call me if that boy hurts you."

Rose laughed. "I do the hurting, Charlie." Gross.

Dad snickered, though he didn't know what she was talking about, I hoped. "All the same."

"I will. Bye, Chief."

Esme gave Rose the same reminder when she hugged her. Sue followed with her warm, soft embrace as well.

Dad held out a hand to Edward and they shook. "I'm trusting you with her. Don't let me down."

"I won't."

He looked him in the eyes for a long moment. "I believe that."

"Do I get a hug, Charlie?" Emmett asked playfully.

"No. You get to live. Consider that a gift." Poor Emmett. He looked crushed.

Esme gave Edward a hug and talked to him softly. I couldn't hear what she said until the end. "You know it. Love you. Send me a text when you get there."

"I will," he agreed. A few minutes later they were finally gone, the door locked behind them this time.

"Alone at last!" Emmett celebrated. "Let's go, Rosie."

"Wait." There was one thing I needed to know first. "What did you threaten Jess with?" I asked Rose.

Rose laughed. "Jess has some very bad habits." She sniffed, holding one nostril closed. Cocaine? "Yep. I saw the signs and I found some coke in her room one time. I never said anything, but I will if she opens her fat trap. I'm pretty sure she's a klepto, too, but that's another story for another day." Well, holy shit. That just might keep her quiet, for now anyway. That and her hope that Edward would meet her again one day. Stupid whore. As if I'd let her near him again.

"Yeah, we have to be up in about six hours to go the airport. I'd like some time before, if you know what I mean," Emmett said suggestively.

Yeah, enough of this. I smiled and held out a hand which Edward took immediately. We practically ran to my room and he had me pressed up against the door, kissing the life out of me, seconds later. "You were so fucking hot when you were yelling at Jessica," he murmured, streaking his hands over my body. I moaned and rubbed myself all over him, like a cat claiming its owner. Mine.

"You were sexy when you glared at Mike. I know you wanted to punch him. I kind of wanted you to." It would have been hot. Stupid, but so, so sexy.

He laughed as he tugged on my zipper. "I could go to that party and do it now if you want."

Oh no, he was going to make me forget. "Sit on the bed. I have to get your surprise ready."

Fear flashed on that handsome face of his. "Baby, I'm not sure that…"

"Trust me, Edward." You will more than like it, I know you will.

He sat and took off his jacket as I gathered my costume from my drawer. I couldn't bring this with me to Europe, not without having to answer some questions from the TSA likely. "No whips or chains, baby, please?" he begged.

As if I'd mar that perfect body of his? No thank you. I laughed and headed to the bathroom to change. "Get naked, Cullen."

I shimmied into the too tight shorts and managed to fasten the shirt just enough to keep my breasts from being fully exposed. I looped the handcuffs and nightstick into the belt and put on the hat. Slutty Officer Swan was in the building. I smirked at my reflection as I put on the boots I'd stashed underneath the sink. The shades went on as a final touch.

I opened the door and there was Edward, perfectly naked, hard and ready, leaning against the headboard. His eyes widened comically when he caught sight of me. "Holy shit," he gasped.

"Is that any way to talk to an officer of the law, Cullen?" I asked, strolling into the room. I tossed my glasses aside because they were getting in the way of viewing his nakedness properly.

"Bella, you look…" he started. Bella? Please. I pulled out my nightstick and hit my hand, stopping him cold. He actually jumped.

"Officer Swan to you, boy," I demanded. This was fun! I felt all authoritative and stuff. No wonder Dad liked being a cop. Oops, no room for Dad here, though. No thank you.

"Officer Swan, you look incredibly sexy."

He sounded almost reverent, which made me smile. Then I frowned at him, getting back into character. "It seems to me that you cause a lot of trouble wherever you go, Cullen. You make teenage girls act crazy, create public disturbances and drive grown women wild."

I climbed on top of him and he touched my legs, which earned him a tap on the chest with my nightstick. No hands, Edward, not this time. "No touching. It seems you can't even behave yourself in private."

"No, I really can't," he agreed. He was so cute and eager it nearly made me grin again.

"I'm going to have to lock you up for your own protection." His gorgeous eyes widened and he looked incredibly excited. Hell, he felt it too. His dick was poking my ass already. I wanted to take him here and now but I had to have some fun first. "Hands up."

He put his hands straight up in the air as if I was pointing a gun at him and I giggled. Silly boy. "Through the rungs of the headboard." He groaned but complied, sliding his hands between the slats. I bent over and cuffed his wrists. His head was buried in my chest as I did so. I had a feeling I was not strictly upholding the letter of the law but I didn't care.

"There, now you won't be able to cause any more trouble," I informed him, sitting back.

"I'll be good," he promised. No doubt about it, Edward.

"Damn right you will." I traced my nightstick over his chest. His muscles bunched beneath my touch and he looked a little nervous again. Turned on, but nervous. "Now, I'm going to have to search you to make sure you're not carrying any illegal substances."

His body tensed beneath me. "Officer Swan…"

"Yes?" I asked. I had to taste him so I licked his neck which made a sexy groan rumble through his chest.

"You're not going to put that stick anywhere it doesn't belong, are you?"

Oh my God. I laughed and bit him gently. "No." I threw it and my hat aside to make him feel a little better. "Not unless you resist arrest."

Edward smiled. "You have me at your mercy."

"It seems I do. Now let me get back to my search and seizure." I gripped his cock and Edward moaned as I worked him lightly while kissing him all over his torso. I heard the clang of the metal cuffs hitting the bars on my bed as he tried to reach for me. I knew this would be hard for him. But it was fun to have him totally at my will.

I kissed down his stomach and nibbled lightly on his hip bones. So sexy, right there. That V leading right to that perfect cock of his. Yum. "So far so good, Mr. Cullen. But I fear you might be smuggling something, so I'm going to have to do some investigating."

"Investigate away," he invited me. I needed no more prompting, sucking him into my mouth. "Fuck!" he cried, the metal making noises again as he jerked in surprise.

"Soon," I promised. "I think I've found something." I took him back into my mouth and worked my tongue against him, bobbing up and down and finding the rhythm that I knew he loved. I loved the sounds he was making as I drove him to the edge.

"Officer, I'm going to…" he warned, struggling against his bonds.

"Give it to me, Cullen. I want to know what you have in here," I warned him, taking him back in my mouth, pulling his hips to me. I squeezed his balls and that did it.

"Shit!" he yelled as he came, spurting into my mouth over and over. I swallowed it all and smiled when he finished.

"It would seem you were hiding a little something, Cullen, but I've confiscated it." I wanted to laugh at myself but it was a pretty awesome line I thought.

"There's more where that came from," he told me, smirking.

Naughty little criminal! "Is that so? Well I'll take it all."

"It's yours."

He was mine. That was all that mattered. I moved up his body and took off my shirt. I hadn't bothered with undergarments because what was the point? Slutty officers should be sans underwear anyway. Edward's eyes were on my tits and he looked hungry. I loved the way he looked at me. I leaned forward to give him more of an eyeful. "Would you like to be released, Cullen?"

He looked conflicted but answered anyway. "Yes, Officer Swan." Too cute. No worries, baby, we have lots of time yet.

"What are you willing to do to get free?" I asked, skimming my fingers over his chest, loving the way his muscles jerked with my touch.

"Anything," he said.

Oh, he'd give me that and more. I leaned forward and put my breasts where he could reach them with his mouth. "You better get to work then. Earn your release."

Smart, wonderful prisoner that he was, he caught on immediately and sucked on my chest, biting and licking just the way he knew I loved it. I guided the other nipple to his mouth and he did the same. I held him to me, tugging on his hair, making him tend to me without saying a word. I felt sexy and powerful. It was a rush. I felt his cock stir to life again and now I could take him the way I'd been fantasizing about for weeks now.

I stood and pulled off my boots and shorts, thrilled to be free of the things. "I'm afraid you haven't quite earned your release, yet, but you've been a model prisoner so far and have earned a reward."

"I like rewards," he told me, his eyes moving over my body.

I climbed back on top of him and rubbed myself against him. "Are you ready to do some hard time, Cullen?"

He grinned. "Yes, Officer Swan."

No playing around now. I positioned him and took him inside me, moaning softly as his cock filled me completely. I loved being on top of him like this. "Oh yes, this is some very hard time." I moved just a bit, not much, driving him crazy. He pulled but his hands were not free. He was my prisoner.

"All day long I had to hear Jessica talk about what she wanted to do to you." He moaned as I slowly took him in and out of me. "And all day I knew exactly what I was going to be doing to you. I had to sit next to you at dinner and pretend that I wasn't imagining you here, in my bed, naked and at my mercy. Do you know what that's like?"

"Sort of. I didn't know about what you had planned, but I knew I couldn't wait to have you just like this," he murmured.

"Mmm, I bet you were sitting at that table thinking about touching me." My dirty, sexy boy with his perverted thoughts.

"I was," he agreed. I sped up, loving the way he felt moving inside me.

"But you're not allowed to touch me, are you? Does that drive you crazy?" I asked. I began to bounce on him and his hips arched off the bed, meeting me, hitting me deeper. So good. I needed this, so much.

"Yes," he managed, gasping as I moved faster. "But it's so hot."

"It is hot," I agreed, touching my chest since he couldn't, making him moan. I knew he loved seeing me touch myself. He'd proved that over and over on Skype. "Having you at my mercy, to do anything that I want to you. I could keep you like this for days if I so desired. What would you think of that?"

He moaned loudly at the idea. I had to admit, it was a fun one. "It would be heaven and hell," he admitted. So right. I'd love to have him to do whatever I wanted with, but I would miss those hands of his.

I laughed as I picked up speed. "I think it would be the same for me. I love this, seeing you, helpless, at my will like this. But I do miss your hands. Your strong, talented hands that can make me scream. You're going to have to make me scream with just your cock this time. Can you handle it?" I challenged him.

His eyes darkened. "I can." He thrust his hips at me, hitting a perfect spot deep inside me. "Take me, Officer."

"I am," I informed him, moving faster. I held on to his shoulders and took him as hard and fast as I was able to. He gave me what he could, pushing himself toward me. God, this was sexy. He was captured, tied to my bed. Talk about a fantasy come true. "So close," I said, as I shifted positions and there it was. The spot. I hit it again and saw stars as my release hit me hard. Edward followed right behind me, filling me, calling my name as he did so. Perfect. Mine.

I fell down against his chest, snuggling into him, trying to catch my breath. "Officer Swan, have I earned my freedom?" he asked, sounding weird. I looked into his face and saw desperation there so I got the key quickly and leaned forward to unlock him. I tried to rub his wrists, which were a little pink from all the struggling he'd done, but he grabbed me and pulled me back into his arms. "I missed holding you."

And that was why I could never keep him locked up for long. I missed it, too. I kissed him softly. "Me too. That was fun, though."

"Damn right it was," he agreed enthusiastically. "We're totally doing that again."

I laughed. "I figured I'd do it here rather than trying to get this getup on a plane. I might have my bag searched then."

He looked disappointed. "Good plan, baby."

"I thought so. That would be a shitty way to have our relationship exposed."

He chuckled at the idea. "True." He touched my cheek. "I'm sorry about Jessica."

Oh, no, she wasn't welcome here. "I'm only sorry I didn't punch her. But I don't think she'll tell."

"I don't care if she does, baby. I really just don't want you to get harassed on vacation. There were tons of paps outside the restaurant."

"I heard." I sighed. "I know there's good and bad to this, but I know that the good is going to outweigh the bad no matter what because I love you."

"I love you, too. Nothing they do, say or write is going to change that," he promised.

I grinned at him. "Well, then, bring them on. We made it through this test, we'll survive the rest." He was all I needed.

Edward smiled and then he shook his head. "Baby, I forgot to give you your other present."

Present? More? "You already got me the pendant. That's more than enough, Edward."

He just shot me a look that said I was being crazy and then reached over and grabbed the handcuff key for some unknown reason.

I looked at him, confused. "Um, thanks, I think I already had that though," I told him, laughing.

He grinned and kissed the tip of my nose. "It's not your present; it's a symbol of your present because I can't get up right now. You wore me the hell out."

Damn right I did! "Okay, what exactly does it symbolize?"

He smirked. "Another key."

For what? His house? I mean, we'd already agreed to live together, so I was confused. "A key to what?"

He smiled. "Let's just say that it has a tag on it with the number fifteen."

Fifteen? Was that his…wait a minute! "Our cabin? You bought me our cabin?"

He chuckled. "No." Damn. He touched my jaw lightly. "I bought us our cabin."

Relief filled me. I wanted it, no matter how unrealistic the dream had been. I couldn't believe he got it for us. "Edward!" I hugged him and he laughed and squeezed me.

"I thought about buying us a new place in Colorado or Wyoming or something and we can still do that, but I wanted our place as well. I wanted to show you that no matter how much attention we get, we'll always have that perfect spot to get away to."

It was perfect. I looked into his eyes. He looked so happy. I couldn't be happier if I tried. "I can't believe you did it, but I'm so happy you did."

He cupped my face in his hands. "We said that we loved each other for the first time there and I want to say it to you over and over again in that exact spot."

"We will. I love you, so much," I told him.

He kissed me softly. "I love you, too. I'll love you everywhere we go, but especially there."

I grinned at him. "How did you make it happen?"

"Took some doing, but I got it done."

Of course he did. He was amazing. "Our place," I murmured.

"Our first place. We have more to come."

I loved the sound of that. "I'll be happy wherever we go, as long as we're together."

"Then you'll be happy always." No doubt about it.

* * *


	54. Belated First Dates

Oh no, not again! You'd think I'd be used to the alarm clock going off at five AM every morning by now but I really wasn't. I groaned and burrowed under my pillow to try to block the noise. I heard his laugh and felt his lips brush over the skin on the back of my neck after he silenced the alarm.

"How can you possibly be so awake?" I asked, moving my pillow aside and peeking one eye open. There was dim light from the nightlight in the bathroom so Edward wouldn't kill himself trying to get around without waking me. To say the man was considerate was an understatement.

"Habit, baby. Go back to sleep."

Yes. That sounded good. "Love you," I mumbled as I snuggled back into my pillow.

"I love you, too."

I heard him showering which of course made me think of him naked which served to make me unable to go back to sleep. Some mornings I could, others I couldn't. We really got so little time together since we'd arrived three weeks ago that I really did want to take advantage of the time we had, even if it was at an ungodly hour of the morning. Unlike him, I could go back to sleep.

I had to say we'd definitely fallen into a rhythm already. Living together wasn't difficult at all. I loved being here when he got home, talking to him about his day and making love to him before he crashed. The girls and I had taken a couple of three day jaunts during the middle of the weeks to Paris and Rome, which was fun, but I'd missed him like crazy. Luckily we got more time together on the weekends. He still worked, but he got evenings off to actually live like a human. Those were my favorite times, just the two of us, room service and movies on TV.

We'd been lucky so far and nobody seemed to know who I was. The girls and I were able to sightsee without incident which I knew made Edward happy. Me too, of course, but I wasn't as worried about it as he was. Jess had obviously kept her mouth shut, though she did keep sending me little texts to ask how Europe was and to tell me to say hi to Edward for her. Yeah, I got right on that shit.

The flight out had been quite easy. We'd gone straight to the private hanger while the boys had gone into the airport and created quite a stir, apparently. I'd seen pictures of Edward signing autographs and taking pictures with adoring fans, all female of course, but we'd gotten out undiscovered which was what it was all about.

While I waited for him, I entertained myself with thoughts of what I had to do today. Shopping for our dinner tonight and a trip to the spa, another of Edward's gifts that continued to floor me. The man was spoiling me rotten and I let him because it made him happy to do so, though I drew the line when it came to him handing me money, like he'd tried to do when we'd gone to Paris. It was one thing to take presents; it was entirely another to take money like it was allowance or even worse. We'd fought about that one, and I'd won, at least I thought so until Alice insisted on upgrading our hostel to a real hotel and paying for it herself. I knew he'd given her the money, then, but I didn't call him on it. It made him happy to know I was safe, which I more than understood.

He was taking me out tonight and I couldn't wait. Who wouldn't be excited about dinner alone in a fancy restaurant with Edward Cullen as their date? It was our first official date and he'd managed to make it happen, though God knew how much he spent and what strings he'd pulled. I couldn't wait to find something gorgeous to wear and knock his socks off.

Edward strolled back into the room and stopped when he saw me sitting up. "Baby, what are you doing? Go back to sleep."

I laughed. "I can't. I'm too excited for tonight."

He sat on the bed next to me and kissed me gently. "Me, too."

"You told Kate, just in case, right?" The last thing we needed was her getting caught unaware.

"Yes, she's prepared should anybody let anything slip, but I think we'll be okay." We should be. He'd arranged a car to take me to the restaurant, which was closed tonight. Apparently all the major German restaurants were closed on Sunday and Monday nights or something. It made it easier to plan our evening, that was for sure. We'd be sneaking back into the hotel through some secret entrance. It should work and I hoped it would.

"Good," I murmured, resting my head on his shoulder. He ran his fingers through my hair and I thought about going back to sleep after all.

"What do you have planned today?" he asked.

I laughed and looked up at him. "Shopping for something to wear to dinner." He started to say something and I hurried on. "I know I don't have to dress up but I want to. So far the only time I've been dressed up around you was for dinner with another guy and for my graduation."

Edward scowled at that and I took his face in my hands. "Which is exactly why I want to make myself pretty for you."

"You're always pretty for me, baby. Beyond pretty. Gorgeous."

Sweet boy. I kissed him and his arms tightened around me. Oops. We'd get carried away if I let this go on too long. I pulled away and smiled at him. "And I love that you think so, but still. This is our first solo date that doesn't take place in my apartment or the cabin…"

"Our cabin," he interjected, which didn't fail to make me smile.

"Our cabin, that is. So, I want to go all out."

"Knock yourself out, baby. I'm not going to complain about you getting all dressed up for me." I didn't think he would. Hopefully I could find something amazing for him.

"Yeah the girls are looking forward to doing some real shopping. And of course, the spa," I pointed out, raising an eyebrow at him. He'd made damn sure that I couldn't turn that one down.

He grinned at me. "That's a present, so you're not allowed to get annoyed."

I giggled. "I could never get annoyed with you…"

"Unless I try to hand you money. No money this time," he told me, looking so proud of himself that I just had to burst his bubble.

"Do you think I don't know why Alice randomly refused to stay at the hostels we had picked out in Rome and Paris and why she was willing to shell out of her own pocket to get us a real room?"

His face was priceless. He really thought he'd pulled that off? "I'm sure that Alice has very high standards," he said, but I stopped him by putting my hand over his mouth while I laughed at his dumbfounded expression.

"Yes, and it's kind of you to finance those high standards of hers." I released him and gave him a kiss. "I'm not mad. It's actually kind of sweet that you want me to have the best."

He looked so relieved I had to smile. "I do, baby."

"I've already got it, with you. But thank you for seeing to it that I have more." I kissed him and felt him starting to get into it so I sat back and gave him a light push. "Go. I want to have our night and we won't get it if you're late to work."

He grinned. "Okay, love. I'll meet you there at seven?"

I nodded. "I know the drill. The car will be here at six. I'll be ready."

"Good." He gave me another kiss. "Get some more sleep and then have a good time today."

"I will. I can't wait to see you tonight."

I smiled. Neither could I. "Me either, baby. Have fun shopping. Buy something sexy."

I laughed and snuggled back into bed. "Count on it."

He kissed my forehead and tugged the comforter up, tucking me back in. "Sweet dreams, baby." They would be. How could they not when I had him?

Xoxoxoxoxox

"Maybe I should just go back and get that black dress at…" I broke off at the twin scowls on Rose and Alice's face. Maybe not.

"He's already seen you in a black dress twice, Bella. You may as well wear the one you wore for your date with Colin." I glared at Alice and she shrugged. "Sorry, but it's true."

Yes, it was and I didn't want to wear black again, but I'd yet to find anything that I liked. Rose saw a store that looked to have a lot of clothes and pointed, so in we went. I immediately tried to turn around when I saw names like Prada and Versace but Rose steered me back in. "No way. You know I can't afford anything here."

"No, but I can." Rose flashed her gold card and grinned. "Happy Birthday to me. I'm buying us all a designer dress."

"It's not your birthday," I pointed out. We were still a few weeks away from that occasion. Actually she and Edward had birthdays just a few days apart. Just thinking of what I had to give him made me smile. Well, he'd asked for it.

"No, but my parents haven't called since they got back from their trip and they will tell me to buy myself something pretty, so I'm just ahead of the curve." She was still pissed about graduation, not that I could blame her. My mom, self-centered though she may be, had called to see if I'd gotten her present, which had been some ridiculous tube top that I'd gotten rid of pretty much immediately.

"They don't even know I'm here." Rose made a disgusted face. "I guess Dad will find out when he gets the bill." She grinned. "Now, let's shop."

Alice made a beeline for Christian Dior and Rose started going through the Prada stuff. I looked around, not at all comfortable with this and that's when I saw it. I sucked in a breath and Rose looked up, following my gaze. "Fuck, yes!" She practically sprinted over to the mannequin and ran her hands over the gorgeous white material. It was this long column of white that fell straight down the body. It was strapless and had a gold belt with a black and gold flower. It was simple, beautiful and stunning. "Oh, Bella, you have to get it."

I didn't know what it cost and I really didn't want to. "It's Gucci," I murmured. That meant it cost a lot.

"Yes, it certainly is. Alice!" Rose called. "Fuck, this is pure silk. Imagine that against your skin."

I was. More, I was imagining the look on Edward's face when he saw it on. Alice came over and her eyes widened when she saw it. "Yes! Put it on, now!" she ordered.

It was too much. "I can't, you guys. It's expensive."

"So? Next objection?" Rose asked.

I laughed. "It, God, it looks like something I could wear to marry him, doesn't it? He's going to think I want him to propose or something."

Alice laughed. "As if you'd protest if he did? It's beautiful, Bella. You need it."

I craved it, probably for the first time ever I actually desired an outfit. "If you don't buy it, I will," Rose threatened. She put a hanger in my hands. "Go, try it on. Let's see how this thing looks on somebody with a body." That was true. It was on a tiny mannequin thing that didn't exactly have my boobs or hips. Maybe it wouldn't work. I kept chanting that as I undressed and slipped it on.

"I need someone to…" I started but stopped when Alice and Rose both stepped in the booth. Alice zipped me up and Rose turned me to face the mirror. "Shit."

"Uh, the last thing I think of when I see you look like that is shit," Rose observed. "How about fuckawesome? How about Edward's going to have to fight to keep from throwing you into the limo and fucking the shit out of you?" Then she giggled. "There, shit fits."

I smacked her and shook my head. "But it costs…what does it cost?"

I hadn't looked at the tag and before I could, Rose covered it up. "No cost. Do you love this dress or not?"

Of course I did. It fit me perfectly and I looked like someone that could be on the red carpet with Edward. "Yes, of course I do."

"Good. Take it off." Right, the sooner I got out of it, the sooner I'd stop being sad that it wasn't mine. I slipped it off and shrugged back into my bra as Rose took it out. I put on the rest of my clothes and came out just as Rose was handing her card over to the cashier.

"Rose!"

She flicked me off and smiled sweetly at the woman checking her out. "You should see her in it. She looks amazing."

"Ah, yes, it is a stunning dress."

"Can you hold it for a few minutes while my friends and I finish shopping?" Rose asked.

"Of course." She boxed up the dress and set it aside.

"I can't believe you did that."

"No returns," Rose told me, grinning triumphantly. "Now help me find something to knock Emmett unconscious. I get the hot date on Wednesday night." Emmett was working late tonight, shooting some of the stunts and stuff, while Edward got to leave early. So he and Rose were planning their own hot date on a night that Edward would be shooting late. It was a trade off.

"Fair enough." The dress was purchased and I couldn't deny that I wanted it. "I'm paying you back one day."

Rose laughed and lowered her voice. "Honey, you're going to be Mrs. Edward Cullen one day soon. Damn right you will. I fully expect fantastic birthday and Christmas presents until the end of time."

"I think I can manage that." With a little help from Edward, of course.

"Now, help me. We've got to be at the spa in an hour." True. I was looking forward to the pampering.

Thirty minutes later, we were done. Rose got some red Prada number and Alice got blue Dior. Rose's dad was probably going to have a coronary when he opened his credit card bill. Good thing his wife was a heart surgeon. I sent Edward a text as we headed to the spa.

_Mission accomplished. Now I'm headed to heaven at the hands of Sven._

I had to bring good old Sven back into play. He'd set this one up, after all. About twenty minutes later, as we were waiting for our turn, I got a response.

**I can't wait to see what you're wearing, though you won't be wearing it for too long. And Sven may have magic hands, but I have magic everything.**

Lord knew that was the truth. Just thinking about his magic everything had me sweating.

_I'm all about your magic everything, so I guess I'll tell Sven to take a hike. See you soon. I love you._

An hour or so later, after my massage as I was headed to my facial, I checked my messages.

**Sven will never recover from the heartbreak of losing you, but too bad for him. You're my everything. I love you, too. See you in a few hours.**

The man was too perfect for words. I couldn't wait to be beautiful for him tonight. He was my everything, too.

Xoxoxoxoxox

The limo was right there waiting just as Edward had planned. I got hugs from Rose and Alice before they headed off to get their own dinner.

"You look incredible, Bella." Alice snapped another picture of me. I nodded because I felt it. My hair was halfway pulled back, with curls falling down my back and around my face. The makeup artist had done a number on my eyes, making them all smoky and sexy and the red lipstick, definitely not my usual style, gave me a pop of color.

"She looks hot as fuck," Rose declared. "He's going to swallow his tongue when he sees you. Go knock him dead."

I climbed carefully into the car and sat back to try to enjoy the ride. It was weird but I was kind of nervous. It felt like a first date, or at least a momentous one, even though Edward and I were already very much in love and together.

The car pulled up behind the restaurant, Reinstoff, and the driver got out. I saw Edward, looking amazing in a light gray suit and tie, approaching the car. The driver got out of the way and Edward's beautiful hand was reaching in to help me out. I took it and emerged from the limo, keeping my eyes on him to see his reaction.

His gorgeous eyes widened and he gulped as he looked me over. "Baby, you look amazing." His voice sounded reverential. Yeah, I'd be paying Rose back for the rest of my life, no doubt about it. Totally worth it, though.

I smiled. "Thank you." His lips were on mine then and I felt all the nerves settle at his reaction to me. I really did look like someone that could be on his arm. It was silly to think that, and I knew it, but still. I wasn't Irina or any of those other Hollywood queens, I was just Bella. But I didn't feel like just me tonight. I felt special. Hollywood I guess.

Edward led me inside when we broke apart. "These are for you, though they don't do you justice." Oh, they were lovely! He handed me a bouquet of colored roses. It was red, pink, white and even purple. I sniffed them and smiled at him.

"You look pretty damn amazing yourself." I straightened his gray tie. "Where did this suit come from?"

He lifted my hand to his lips and kissed it. Jesus. I was going to swoon at the man's feet. "Wardrobe. I'm told they'll kill me if I spill anything on it, but I'm quite sure I don't care." His eyes were hot on mine, devouring me. Maybe we should go back to the hotel, now. "Baby, I feel like I should be escorting you to the altar instead of just to dinner. You're utterly stunning."

That made me laugh. "I told them! I told them I looked like a damn bride, but this was so pretty and I couldn't resist it. It probably costs more than most wedding dresses."

Edward raised his eyebrows as he steered me into the restaurant. "Don't tell me you spent all your money on that dress, love."

No, my crazy friend did. "I didn't spend a dime. Rose bought it. She insisted on it. Her parents are definitely going to find out she's not in Washington soon."

He shook his head. "They don't know she's here?"

"No, that would require her talking to them which she's not doing. Not that they tried to call her, or anything. So she's decided to punish them by spending money until they cancel their card. It's only a matter of time now."

Before Edward could say something, a man all in white approached us. He was wearing glasses and a friendly smile. "Hello, Mr. Cullen. I'm Chef Daniel Achilles and I'm honored to serve you tonight." His accent was slightly French, or so it seemed to me.

"Thank you for having us. I've heard great things about this restaurant." Edward's hand rested at the small of my back as we followed the chef inside. The place was really cool looking, with these thick black beams everywhere and gray and black coverings on the wall. There were also mirrors here and there. He led us to a table in the center of a smaller dining room, with white tablecloths and candles glowing in the half light.

Another man, a waiter in black and white, pulled a chair out for me. I sat and Edward sat across from me. "Would you like me to find something for the flowers, madam?" he asked me.

Good! I didn't want them dying on me. "Oh, yes, thank you." I handed him the bouquet and he hurried away. Edward handed me a glass of champagne, already poured. I noticed that there was a bucket holding the rest of the bottle and my eyes met his. Perfect, just like my man.

Chef Daniel cleared his throat. "I'm preparing our traditional meal that is designed to invoke all your senses. The canapés will be out shortly."

"Thanks. We look forward to it," Edward told him, not looking away from me. He was making it awfully hard to think about food. Thank God we were mostly alone, in case I did jump him.

I smiled and reached across the table for his hand. "You're looking at me like I'm what's on the menu."

He grinned at me. "You are very much on my menu later tonight, baby."

Jeez, I was going to melt into a puddle of goo and ruin my fabulous dress. "You're naughty. I can't take you anywhere."

"It's a good thing we're alone right now. I thought that waiter's eyes were going to pop out of his head when he saw you. Imagine if there were a whole restaurant full of people here. I'd have to kill them all."

"Such violent tendencies! We may have to get you a counselor." Then again, I was just as bad. "Actually, I'd probably be killing the female half of the room, so we might both have to talk to someone."

He stroked my hand. "Your skin feels like silk," he told me.

I had to tease him a little. "I told you Sven had magic hands." That got me a squeeze. "Okay, that's from the hand treatment and manicure thing you got me. I swear to God, Edward, I've never been so pampered in my life. I almost feel guilty."

The waiter came out and placed some plates in front of us. "Vegetable cookie and romanesco," he announced, before disappearing.

"Why would you feel guilty?" Edward asked, but I was too busy trying to figure out what in the hell was on my plate to answer him. "Baby?"

"What on earth is a vegetable cookie and romanesco?" I asked, which made him let loose that beautiful laugh of his.

"I have no idea, but I'm told it's very good. I told them not to bring us the goose liver, so I thought this was a good compromise."

Goose liver? I couldn't refrain from making a face at that one. "Goose liver?"

Edward laughed at me. "It's a delicacy, baby."

"Rich people eat weird," I told him. Well, when in Rome, right? Or Berlin, as it was. I took a bite of the vegetable thingy. It wasn't bad. Sweet and crunchy. I smiled at Edward. "It's good."

Edward chuckled and ate a bite. "It is good. And we do eat weird stuff quite a bit. You should see the stuff that Wolfgang Puck makes at the Oscars." Oh, he wasn't kidding. I'd seen some of that on the morning news shows before.

"I've seen some of it on TV." I didn't know if I could eat some of that crap. "Do you really eat that stuff?"

Edward laughed and shook his head. "I eat what appeals to me, but it's a Hollywood crowd, so half the food gets thrown out I'm sure. We'll just go to In-N-Out burger after we ditch the party."

Thank God. "Sounds good to me." Wait, did I sound ungrateful? Or like I didn't want to be part of his world? "Not that I'm complaining. I'm excited to be here with you tonight and when we go there…"

Edward held up a hand. "I know, baby. Believe me, some of the food is actually good and those places are really more about socializing anyway. You know I'm more of a beer and pizza sort of guy."

Much to my relief. "I like that about you." I took another bite. "I really want one of those Oscar chocolates though."

He smiled. "They're awesome and I love you so much that I may even give you mine."

I giggled. "You must really love me, then. I don't know if I'd give up my Oscar chocolate for you."

Edward sipped his champagne. "Since you're a first timer, I'll let that slide. The next year, you'd better give me your chocolate."

"Or else what?" I demanded. Like he was going to steal my chocolate?

"I don't know. I honestly don't think I could punish you. But still."

"Edward, I do love you enough to give you my Oscar chocolate. I just hope you love me enough not to ask me to." I giggled at the look on his face.

"Fuck it; we'll steal the chocolate of all the people who are afraid to consume calories."

Was it any wonder I loved him? The great Oscar chocolate caper would be awesome. "Oooh, good plan! We both win that way." I clapped like Alice did when she was excited.

"As it should be, love." The waiter cleared our plates and set our next course in front of us.

"River trout, rowan berry, mushrooms and watercress," he informed us before leaving the room again.

Okay, that was fish. Not a problem there. "Fish. I can do fish." I sampled it and it practically melted in my mouth. "This is great," I told him.

Edward looked pleased. "It is. So what do you guys have planned for tomorrow?"

Something much more up my alley than dress shopping, even though I'd had a good time anyway. "We're going to Museum Island. Have you ever been?"

"No."

"Oh, well it's going to be so cool. Sculptures and art and there's a cathedral there. We're looking forward to it." I couldn't wait. It was just neat seeing the art and sculpture that sort of defined the country we were in. I didn't think anything could compare to the Louvre, though.

"I'm so glad you're having a good time, Bella."

There was something off in his voice and I put down my fork. "What is it?"

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"You sound sad."

He shook his head. "I'm not at all sad, baby."

Like I was going to buy that? "Something's off, Edward. Tell me."

"I just wish I could see these places with you."

Oh, I was with him there. I touched his cheek. "I wish that too, you know? I have a great time with Rose and Ali but there's a part of me that knows you're missing and wishes you were there. We'll go to all these places one day, though, right?"

That made him smile again. "We will, baby, all those places and more."

"Good. Something to look forward to."

"We have a lot of things to look forward to."

That we did. "Good thing our forever has already begun, huh?" I thought that deserved a toast so I raised my glass and Edward clinked his with mine.

"It's a very good thing. I don't think I could have gone another day without you," he told me.

Damn right. "Me either. Somehow the boys at U-Dub didn't compare."

Edward laughed, his good humor returned as the waiter reappeared. "Fruit and yoghurt," he intoned.

"Finally something I know," I whispered, which made Edward chuckle again.

"You liked the stuff you didn't know," he correctly pointed out.

"Yes, this is true but it's still nice to know there's not goose liver in here," I told him as I spooned up some berries and yogurt. Damn, that was good.

"Maybe those are gooseberries," Edward said, making me giggle.

"They're good, whatever they are. And this is an incredible date, Edward. Thank you for doing this."

"It was the least I could…"

Oh no, we weren't going there. "It was not the least anything. You went to a lot of trouble to give us a night out together and if I didn't already love you beyond measure, this would push it over the top. You know I would have been happy back in our room with room service and a movie but you wanted to give me something special, something nobody else could give me and you did. Here I am in a fancy restaurant eating fancy food with my perfect boyfriend and we're all alone. It's like being in a movie instead of watching one. I love it and I love you."

He leaned across the table and kissed me hard. "I love you, too, baby. I'm glad you're happy, I just wish I could give you more."

Was he serious? "What more could you possibly give me? You spoil me rotten. You spend every minute with me that you can and don't think I don't know that you stay up later with me here than you did with me at home."

He shrugged. "What reason would I have to stay up if I didn't have you here?"

I laughed. He had me there. "Good point. I'm just thrilled to be here with you, Edward. This is already beyond my wildest dreams. Don't apologize for having to work or for being famous. That brought us together, so I could never regret it for a moment."

"As long as you never do."

"I won't." And now I had another first I wanted to fulfill. I smiled at the waiter when he came in to take our dishes. "Would it be possible for you turn up the music for a few minutes?"

"Of course." He left the room and a few seconds later the music was louder. It was something soft and instrumental.

I smiled and held out a hand. "Would you dance with me?"

Edward was up and had me in his arms almost instantly. I wrapped my arms around his neck and smiled at him. "See? It doesn't get any better than this."

He didn't answer me with words; he just pulled me into a hell of a kiss. I sighed and gave myself over to him. When we stopped, I rested my head on his shoulder. "We couldn't dance here if it was loaded with people," I told him.

"You're right. There's nothing better than the two of us alone," he agreed.

"Don't you forget that," I ordered him. We kissed and moved slowly to the music. The waiter came in and we broke apart.

"Sir, is there anything else I could get you?"

"No, thank you. We're ready to go. Please give my compliments to Daniel." Edward slipped him some money.

"I will, sir. Thank you, madam. Have a good evening." He gave me back my flowers, complete with a pretty purple vase.

"Thank you." He nodded and led us out.

The car was waiting when we got downstairs and Edward helped me inside. I rested my head on his shoulder and he held me close. "Thank you for tonight, baby," he said.

Like he should be thanking me? I kissed his jaw. "What did I do?"

Edward chuckled. "Well, first you showed up looking like some Roman goddess, for which I'll always be thankful. Second, you always make me look at what's most important. That's you and me. The rest is just background noise. Sometimes it'll be loud, but I can tune it out when I'm with you."

Background noise. That was a good way to look at it. "I like that. Screw the background noise." I kissed him and he moaned and pulled me closer. Damn, I really wanted him now. Maybe we could….

"We're here, sir," the driver said, stopping the car. Well darn. He got out and opened the door. Edward got out first before helping me out and hugging me to him. He held me for a moment and I smiled at him. He linked his fingers with mine and the door opened with a blonde lady in a suit smiling and gesturing to us. Edward grabbed my flowers and carried them in as we followed her.

She led us through the kitchen, which was empty and to a freight elevator. "We use this for carting beds and furniture up," she told us, keying in the code for the top floor.

"Thanks for doing this, Mitzi," Edward told her.

She smiled. "No problem. We appreciate your patronage." The doors opened and we hurried to the room. Edward let us in and I gasped when I saw the set up here.

The bed was already turned down and ready for us and there were candles all over the place. Roses like the ones Edward got me were everywhere I looked and he had more champagne and a room service cart waiting.

The man was still spoiling me. There could never be a night better than this. "Edward, it's beautiful," I told him.

"You're the beautiful one. This is nothing."

I couldn't help but focus on the cart. "More food?"

Edward laughed and pulled me over to it. "Call it a safety net just in case you hated it, but I got us real dessert. Fruit and yogurt is fine and all but considering all your chocolate talk earlier…" he lifted the lid and I nearly screamed when I saw the huge slab of chocolate cake waiting there. "Yeah, I thought you might approve."

"Is that German chocolate cake?" I asked, because damn. Chocolate and that creamy coconut frosting was made of awesome.

"Maybe. Why don't you sit down and see for yourself?" Edward pulled out the chair and I collapsed into it. "I think you might like that cake more than me."

As if, but it was fun to pretend. "I don't know until I try it out, do I?"

Edward sat and poured some champagne for us, then forked up some cake and held it out to me. "I guess we better check it out."

I opened and he fed me. Good God, it was sinful. So good. I closed my eyes and moaned as the flavors exploded on my tongue. "I think I might have been replaced," he said sadly.

I opened up my eyes and smiled at him. "I have to admit, it's too close to call at the moment." He pouted, which was so incredibly cute on him I couldn't stand it. "Why don't you come over here and let me sample you so I can compare?" I suggested.

He moved next to me and I kissed him, our tongues moving together. God, I wanted him.

"Mmm, still a tight race," I pretended, as if I wasn't completely his. "Maybe if you were wearing less clothes," I decided. Less clothes was never a bad thing.

He took off the jacket and his tie. That was all, though, so I had to egg him on. I took another bite of cake and moaned, letting him see just how much I enjoyed it. His shirt came off and there were my pretty abs to play with and lick and…oooh, there was an idea. He stood and took off his shoes and pants and socks. "Well, that is mighty tempting." I licked my lips and heart him moan.

"Bella…" he whined.

I couldn't pretend anymore. I laughed and slipped my arms around him. "You win, Edward. You always win."

"I want to win right now," he said, kissing me hard. He unzipped my dress and the white silk slid down my body. Edward moaned at the sight of me standing there in my barely there panties and those killer white shoes the girls had forced on me. I kicked off the shoes and picked up the dress and put it on top of Edward's suit coat.

"It's my first designer dress," I informed him. No way was it getting wrinkled and stomped on.

"There'll be a lot more where that came from," he reminded me. So true. It was amazing that my life was changing so much.

There were some things, though, that would never change. "I think I need one more test before I'm one hundred percent sure on this chocolate versus Edward thing," I told him, taking his hand and leading him over to the bed. I pushed him and he fell onto the bed, grinning at me. I walked back to the table and grabbed the cake, eating another bite and smiling while he eyed me hungrily.

"What are you up to?" he asked, his voice rough and sexy.

"I want to combine my favorite flavors." This was the thing dreams were made of. I dropped a forkful of cake on his torso and set the plate aside. I got on the bed and started sucking on all that tanned, pretty skin of his, licking my way to the chocolate.

"Jeez," Edward gasped as I licked the chocolate, dragging it across his chest. I bit and sucked as I got all the cake into my mouth. He tasted beyond words. Edward and chocolate together was the best thing ever.

"Definitely my favorite flavor right here." I licked him clean, and then my lips as well, before I moved up his body and kissed him. He moaned at the taste of me and the cake.

"You're my favorite," Edward told me when we stopped kissing. He flipped our positions and reached down, freeing us both of our underwear, the last barrier we had between us. "I need you."

"I need you, too," I agreed.

He entered me and I moaned, making him smile. "I do win," he told me.

There was no comparison. "Yes, you do. Always."

"Let's both win." And we got lost in one another, coming together, winning together. Always.

Xoxoxoxoxox

I didn't even hear him leave in the morning. I woke alone and got a shower and got dressed. Ali and Rose met me at the door and we headed down to the lobby.

"I can't wait to see the artwork," Alice was saying as we walked out the front door. Somebody shouted and all of a sudden there was a mass of bodies around us, flashbulbs going off and questions being shouted.

"How long have you and Edward been together? Where did you meet? What's your name?" A crush of bodies crowded around us and I ducked, trying to get the hell away from them. How did they know?

My heart was pounding and Rose was yelling and trying to shove bodies away from us as she got out her phone. "Emmett, get down here, we need you!" she yelled into it. "Get your fucking hands off me."

Alice tried to shove a guy out of her face who was leaning across her trying to get me. Questions in all sorts of languages kept coming and I couldn't even focus on one. All I wanted to do was run but we were surrounded.

It seemed like a lifetime later when I heard another shout and calls of "Get away from her," and relaxed a little when I heard Emmett's voice. A few bodies backed off but I still couldn't move. I kept my head down as I heard the constant click of the cameras.

"I said, back the fuck off!" Rose shouted. I saw her throw a punch out of the corner of my eye. Oh shit. "My ass is not yours to touch!" she yelled, punching the guy again.

Emmett let out a loud yell and then his fists were flying. "Get inside!" he yelled at me. The melee had people moving and Alice grabbed my arm and we hurried back into the hotel. The doorman was on the phone, speaking German rapidly, but he helped us inside.

This wasn't good. I took out my phone and called Edward. Martin answered. "I need him, now!" I told him. I had a scrape on my arm, how I didn't know, and Alice was cursing and limping. "What's wrong?"

"Some asshole stepped on my foot and I twisted my ankle. What the fuck happened?"

"We must have been seen." Last night. I hadn't seen anybody, but someone had obviously seen me. "What's going on out there?"

Alice limped over to the door and peeked outside. "Emmett and Rose are still fighting and shit, there are the cops."

"He'll be with you in just a minute, miss." Right. He was filming. I just wanted him, though. I wanted him here, to hold on to. And I sort of wanted to cry. I didn't know it was going to be like that.

"They're arresting them!" Alice hollered. Shit. I started toward the door and she held me back. "Don't you dare. There's a ton of them out there still. Rose and Emmett and the guy she hit and a couple other guys are getting into cop cars."

Fuck. "Sir, there's a problem I think," Martin said.

"Bella?"

Tears pricked when I finally heard his voice. "Edward? Edward, they know." Goodbye anonymity, hello chaos.

* * *


	55. Lots of Words

" _Edward? Edward, they know."_

"Bella? What happened? How do they know?" His voice shot out at me and I could hear the fear there. I tried to focus, but it felt like all my energy was draining out of me. I wanted to curl up in bed and cry.

Focus. "I don't know. Rose and Emmett got arrested and I don't know where they are!"

"Why were they arrested? Baby, take a deep breath and tell me what happened."

That was a good idea. I breathed deep and then released the air. "Sorry. I'm sorry. I'm trying…"

"It's okay, baby. I know you're upset. Just tell me what happened so we can figure out what to do. Why did Rose and Emmett get arrested?"

"We were going to the museum. That was all." It was just supposed to be a fun day out, me and my best friends. "We stepped out of the hotel and the next thing I knew, people were yelling questions and crowding around." So much yelling, so many bodies, jostling, trying to get in my face. "I kept my head down, like you said, but they just kept coming and Rose called Emmett and told him to come down. Some guy stepped on Ali's leg and hurt her ankle."

"Is she okay? Bella, are you?" He was panicked. I needed to calm him.

"I'm fine. I didn't get hurt, just pushed and stuff." Just a scratch. "Some guy grabbed Rose and you know, she hit him. Then Emmett came out and heard that and he started throwing punches and yelling at me to get out of there. Alice and I are in the hotel. The doorman called security and the cops and they're all outside. Rose and Em got taken away. I don't know where they are." Where were they? I needed to get to them. They were helping me. They shouldn't be in jail.

"Bella, it's okay. Just go to the room with Alice. I'm on my way, okay?"

He was? I needed him. I needed him and then we needed to find them. "Okay. We should find out where they took Rose and Emmett."

"I'll take care of it. You just go to the room and wait for me. I'll be right there. I love you, Bella. Just remember that for me, alright?"

I would never forget that. "Of course. I love you, too." What should I do? I felt like I should be doing something. "I should call Dad or…"

"It's four in the morning over there, baby. Just wait."

Damn. I wanted to talk to my dad. Well, first I wanted Edward, and then I wanted to talk to my dad. "Oh yeah, I forgot. It's…" No tears, Bella. Keep it together for him. "It was frightening."

"I know, love. I know it was, but you're alright and I'll handle it, okay?" Yes, Edward knew what to do. I just needed him to be here. I needed to feel him and hold on to him, just for a few minutes. Then I could focus on what we had to do.

"Okay. Are you sure you can get here?" Fuck, he had a job to do. But I wanted him here.

"I've got a car on the way. I'll be there as soon as I possibly can."

"Alright. I'm going to the room now."

"Where are the paps? They didn't follow you in, did they? Do you know if they have your name?"

I thought about what I heard, what I'd been able to focus on as the shouts erupted. "No, I don't think they do. They kept asking who I was. I guess they just had my picture, or wanted it. Alice says they're across the street. The cops made them move. I'm not looking out. Alice said not to."

"Very good, baby. Yeah, you just go up to our room. I'm on my way. See you soon." He sounded relieved. Good. I didn't want to freak him out. I had to be strong for Edward.

"See you soon," I repeated. I disconnected and faced Alice. "We need to go up to the room."

"Yes, let's go." She took my arm and I tried to avoid all the stares I felt on me as we made our way to the elevator. Yes, I was the one that caused the disruption. It was crazy, but true.

Alice was limping and I changed our position so that I was holding her arm. We got in and rode in silence until we got to our floor. I opened the door to Edward's room, our room, and we went in. I felt better here, like I could breathe again. "Sit on the bed. I'm going to get ice for your ankle." Alice started to say something but I shook my head at her as grabbed the ice bucket and took out the lining bag. I went down the hallway and got ice for Alice. When I came back into the room, she was sitting back against the headboard and I put the ice on her ankle.

"Thanks," she said. "Bella, are you okay?"

Was I? "I don't know what I am, Alice." So much was swirling through my head. Fear, anger, guilt. Guilt was the strongest at the moment. "I'm so sorry you got hurt because of me."

Her gray eyes narrowed. "I'm sorry, were you the one who stomped on my leg trying to take your own picture? I must have missed that," she said sarcastically.

"It was because of me. You're hurt and Rose and Emmett are in jail because…"

"Because the press got tipped about you somehow. Jess, Mike, someone from last night, someone here at the hotel, who knows? But it's not your fault," she snapped.

It was, but I knew better than to argue with her. "I just wish it was different."

Alice shook her head. "What do you wish was different, exactly? Do you wish Edward weren't a famous actor?"

That had been what brought him to my attention. "Of course not."

"Do you wish you weren't with him?"

That was too ridiculous for words. I just glared at her. "I didn't think so. Do you wish you hadn't come to Berlin to be with him?"

God, no. "No. I want to be here."

"Do you wish you hadn't gone out last night, looking better than you ever have, to have a private, romantic date with him?"

I couldn't regret last night, not even if we'd been discovered because of it. "No."

"Good. Then shut up and tell me about the evening before I have to log on and read about it on _People,"_ she ordered.

So I did. I put aside all the worries I had and told her about the fancy restaurant, the weird but good food, the dancing, the limo and the cake in the bedroom. Alice giggled and clapped and reveled in our evening. "Well, it seems to me that you had a pretty damn fantastic night, Bella."

I smiled. "We did. He looked so handsome in his gray suit."

Alice laughed. "Just think. You haven't seen him in a tux in person yet. I bet you'll attack him and miss whatever event you're going to the first time he wears one."

"That's a bet I'm not taking." I smiled thinking about it. "Do you really think we'll be able to do that? Go places together?" After the response downstairs, I didn't know if it was possible.

"Of course! As sexy as the two of you are together, there'll eventually be someone else that has their interest. You're the flavor of the moment, but not of the year, you know? You just have to get through this."

Yes, eventually we'd be old news. I couldn't wait for eventually. The door opened and I was up and moving out of the bedroom before he said a word. "Bella?"

"Edward!" I ran into his waiting arms and he held me tight, squeezing me and feeling warm and solid and safe. He was what I needed and I finally felt better. Ali had helped, but Edward, with just one word, made me feel right again.

"You're alright, right, baby? They didn't hurt you?" he asked, pulling back and staring into my eyes.

"Yes. I'm fine. Just a little scratch. I'm just so glad you're here. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know it would be like that." Naïve. I'd been a naïve fool. He'd tried to tell me, but I just figured it'd be a few photographers here and there. This kind of stuff just didn't happen to me.

Edward held my arm out and looked grimly at the pink mark that was there. It was nothing. I hated the look of pain that was on his face. "I'm so sorry, baby."

"It's not your fault." Never his fault. He could hardly be blamed for being beautiful and talented, could he? I burrowed back into his arms and he held me. I could smell him. God, he smelled good. And he felt incredible. If I'd ever taken a moment with him for granted before now, I never would again.

"When did they see us?" I asked.

"Let's sit down and I'll tell you what I know." He put his arm around me and steered me into the bedroom, where Ali was waiting.

"Is it bad? Do you need a doctor?" he asked as he took in her ice covered ankle.

"Just twisted it. I don't think it's sprained, but it hurts a little. I'm alright. It was awful out there," Alice responded.

"I know. I saw them."

Oh shit! I hadn't thought about what he might face in getting to me. "Did they come after you?" I tried feeling him for cuts and scrapes of his own and he laughed and stilled me.

"No. The cops had them all across the street." He grinned boyishly. "I did flip them off before I came in, so I'm sure there will be some nice new pictures of me up soon."

"Edward!" I laughed, loving that he'd dared to do that, even though his mom and Kate were going to be angry.

"Kate's going to be pissed, but at least I didn't go throw some punches of my own. What in the hell happened with Rose and Emmett?"

It was all such a blur. "Some guy grabbed Rose while trying to get me, I think," I told him, thinking hard. "She told him to back off and when he didn't, she punched him. Emmett came out just as that happened so he charged right in and told us to get out of there."

"Fists were flying, not just Rose and Em's and the first guys," Alice supplied. "I looked back as we were heading in and there were several guys smacking on your brother and Rose was kicking one of them. It's not good."

Edward sighed and tightened his hold on me. "Well, Kate was calling Mom so it's only a matter of time before she's on the case."

This sucked. "How did this happen? When did they see us?"

Edward frowned. "It was outside the hotel when I helped you out of the limo and we hugged. I haven't seen it yet but Kate said it's a beautiful picture anyway." Well, at least there was that. I smiled as Edward took out his phone. He showed me the picture and it was beautiful. I was looking at him like he was the handsomest man in the world, which of course he was, and he was smiling at me and his gaze was full of love. Alice let out a shriek when she saw it.

"Jeez, Alice," I said, elbowing her. "It's not a good thing, you know."

"I know, but look at you! Look at him! Look at him and you looking at each other! Think about it. You could have been outed wearing sweatpants with ratty hair and half awake when he left some morning but instead you look impossibly gorgeous. Nobody who sees that picture is going to wonder what he's doing with you like that stupid cow Jess was. Look at you!"

She did have a point. "Yes, I guess I'm glad that I don't look like a hag."

Edward pulled me back against his chest and kissed the top of my head. "You could never look like a hag, baby."

Alice snorted. "It must be true love. Have you seen those pictures of celebs without makeup on?" She stared at him. "Hey, you're wearing makeup right now!"

Oh yeah, he was. Edward huffed and got off the bed quickly. "It's part of the package," he told us, as he hurried in the bathroom to take off his makeup. His phone rang as he came back. I looked at the Caller ID.

"It's your mom," I told him. She was up and at it early. Of course she was. One of her sons was in jail.

Edward sighed and answered. "Hi, Mom."

He listened for a moment. "Bella's fine, she's got a light scratch on her arm, but that's it. Alice has a sore ankle, she's icing it but she's okay. I don't know about Rose, since she's in jail."

Jail. Just the thought of that made my stomach roll. Edward shook his head at something his mom said and gave me the phone. "Hi, Esme."

"Are you alright? Those damn cockroaches! I'm going to crush every one."

I had to grin at the outrage in her voice, and her threat. "I'm fine. Yes, it was scary but I didn't get hurt and Emmett and Rose protected me while Alice got me out of there. I'm worried about them."

"Don't you worry, Bella. I'm going to handle it and I'll make those German police sorry they arrested my son and future daughter for defending my other future daughter."

She did make me feel better and I laughed. "Somehow I don't doubt that you will. I'm going to have to tell my dad."

Esme actually laughed then. "That will scare my son far more than being arrested ever could."

I giggled. "You're so right. I bet Emmett's shitting his…oops." I can't believe that I said shitting to Edward's Mom. I blame it on the trauma.

"He is! Charlie will make him pay!" She sounded delighted about it.

"Well, he did promise not to get any of us arrested, but technically Rose threw the first punch. I'm going to have to defend him on that one."

"Yes, I'll defend him, too. I can't blame him for this one, unfortunately. The pictures on _TMZ_ make it pretty clear what went down."

Edward smiled when I laughed. Good. I wanted him to stop looking so sad and worried. "Are they really? Rose wanted to be on _TMZ,_ so she'll be thrilled once she's released." Rose would be famous, in her own way. She'd love it.

"You stay safe and try to keep your chin up for my son. I know he's worried about you. Can I talk to Alice?"

I would. I wasn't going to let him feel bad about this. It wasn't his fault. "Yes, okay. Here's Alice."

I gave Ali the phone and Edward hugged me to him. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"I am. I'm sorry I called you when I was upset but…"

"Hey," he silenced me with a kiss. "I'd be mad if you didn't call me when you were upset. I'm so sorry you got blindsided. If we hadn't gone out last night, this would never have happened. It's my fault."

Oh no, he wasn't taking that on. "Edward Cullen, don't you dare say that! I loved last night. Didn't you? Would you really want to take it back?" Alice was right. We couldn't let this ruin what had been a perfect evening. I wouldn't let it.

Alice reached between us and handed Edward her phone. "Mom."

Edward listened for a moment. "Mom, I don't know. I wasn't there. He got taken in too, I think." The guy that started it? I nodded in case that's what he meant. "So you can find out."

Edward rolled his eyes. "I will, Mom."

He made a face at something she said. "We'll talk about it, Mom."

He nodded. "I don't think that's going to be a problem."

Edward laughed. "I bet he's thrilled that you called him before five AM."

He made an adorable guilty face. "You saw that already?" Ha, I bet she saw him flipping the bird. He was too cute when he was getting chastised.

"So we'd bring the girls into your life?" he suggested.

"I will, Mom. Love you. Bye."

He hung up and I gave Alice the look. I needed some time alone with him. I could tell he was taking this on himself.

Ali stood, carrying her ice bag. "I'm going to head back to my own room and take a nap. I'll see you guys later, okay?"

"Dinner's on me. We'll do room service and you can have anything you want," Edward told her.

Alice smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "Sounds good. " She whispered something in his ear before hugging me and limping her way back to her room.

Edward picked up the hotel phone and dialed a number. "I need to arrange for a masseuse for room 532. Find someone who will come and bill it to me, please? I'll send down the tip when I get confirmation that they're there."

He paused. "Thanks."

What a wonderful man he was, taking care of my friend. "That was nice of you to do for Alice."

"Least I can do," he said softly, that pained look back on his face.

No, I was not allowing this. "No, it's not." I took his face in my hands. "You have gone above and beyond for me since the moment I walked into my bedroom and you were there, even though I lied to you." He tried to deny that but I silenced him with a finger over his beautiful lips. "It's true. You've made my wildest dreams come true and I don't want you to apologize for this. So there's one part of being with you that's not all sunshine and rainbows. I don't care. It's your life. It's my life now. I can see that you're taking this on and I'm not letting you, okay?"

A look of relief flashed over his face and he held my hands. "I don't regret it, Bella. I could never regret last night. It was a fantastic and long overdue first public date. More public than I intended, but everything else was just as I wanted it. I do regret that this happened today, though."

"But it's not your fault. You see that, right?" I asked.

Edward sighed. "I know. And I can't say that I'm sorry that everybody gets to see us looking at each other like we are in that picture. You took my breath away in that moment." He kissed me softly. "I love you, so much."

"I love you," I replied, moving into his open arms. They were always open for me. How lucky was I? Enduring that shit downstairs was nothing compared to what I got here with him. "I guess we have some things to figure out, presswise." It was time, apparently.

He kissed the top of my head. "Later. Today we're holing up and we'll let Kate take control. It's what she's good at anyway. She's on the way." He cleared his throat. "Um, she's going to call that woman that interviewed me for _Rolling Stone._ I kind of promised her that when we came out, she'd be the first to know. Kate's setting us up to do an interview, if you want. I can do it alone…"

"No." I released him and looked up at him. "I want to do it with you. We're in this together."

He smiled. "Yes, we are. Always."

"So, bring it on. We're ready." I smiled back at him. "I can do anything as long as I have you."

"You do."

Need surged through me and I shoved him back on the bed and straddled him. "Then prove it."

He grinned at me, finally a true smile that reached his eyes. "Happily." And we connected again, fully, something we both needed.

Xoxoxoxoxox

"Where are they?" I demanded. I couldn't sit still so I kept walking around the living room of our suite.

"He just texted twenty minutes ago, baby. It takes time," Edward reassured me.

"I know! But I need to see them with my own eyes so I can make sure they're alright."

"Em said they're fine. A bit pissed off, but fine." Pissed off was understandable.

"I know! But I still need to see them." Rose had gotten arrested. For me. Because of me.

"They're on the way. You should probably call your dad now." Edward looked like it was the last thing he wanted me to do.

No, not until I had some answers. "Not until Rose is here." I shook my head. "He'll be full of questions and it'll be better if I can answer them and not put him off."

He nodded. "Well get back over here and sit and wait, Bella. Your pacing isn't going to get them here any faster."

"I know." I sighed and sat next to him, letting my legs lie across his lap. "They got arrested because of me," I told him, letting go of a little of the guilt I felt. Tears pricked at my eyes for the first time since I'd talked him on the phone.

Edward shook his head. "Hey, didn't you tell me not an hour ago that I wasn't allowed to take the blame for what happened?"

"Yes, but they were protecting me." It was different.

"They could have protected you without punching people, Bella. I'm not sorry that they did, so long as they're not in too much trouble, but that's on them."

I sighed and rested my head on his shoulder. "Still, it wouldn't have happened if…"

"If we hadn't gone out last night, which you told me I'm not allowed to regret. So you're not allowed to either."

He had me there and I kissed his jaw. "Okay, you're right. I just need them to get here."

He laughed and moved a hand down my body. "I could always distract you."

I giggled, though I was sorely tempted. "Again? I don't think they'd appreciate getting out of the slammer only to find us having a good time in their absence."

"They'd understand."

Rose sure would. "True." I kissed him and he pulled me fully onto his lap. Just as I started to sink into him, a knock sounded on the door. "They're here!" I yelled, hopping off him and running to open it.

"We're free, bitches!" Rose yelled as all three of them burst into the room. She looked perfect, as always. Emmett had a bloody lip and some bruising on his face but he wore a big smile so it couldn't be too bad. Thank God.

"Rose! I'm so sorry!" I threw my arms around her and Rose hugged me tight.

"Please, that's the most fun I've had with my clothes on in years! Did you see me take down that skinny fucker? I broke his nose and his camera. Jackass thinks he can touch my ass? I kicked his to teach him a lesson." She was my Rose, fierce and awesome. Nothing could change her, not even an arrest.

Emmett laughed. "That's my girl! Eddie, I wish you'd seen her. She throws a better punch than Alec, I swear."

"Looks like you took a few," Edward told his brother. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just superficial shit. I've had worse." Emmett shrugged. "Most of them were sucker punches while I was taking down someone else. Fucking cowards."

"What about you?" Edward asked Rose as I released her. Edward hugged her gently.

"Swollen knuckles and a bruise on my thigh. I'm good."

"Thank you for protecting her," he told Rose, releasing her. He turned to Emmett. "Thank you."

"That's been my job for four years now. Not a problem," Rose replied, wrapping an arm around me. I finally felt completely better, now that we were all together, where we belonged.

"You know you don't have to thank me. I was doing what big brothers do." I threw my arms around Emmett and he held me tight. "You're alright, aren't you? They didn't hurt you, did they?"

"I'm fine."

"She's got a scratch on her arm," Edward interjected. "But it's not bad and no doubt would have been a lot worse if it weren't for the two of you."

"It was fun," Emmett told us.

"You're such a thug," Alice said, poking him. He let me go and picked her up.

"Saved your ass, didn't I, little one? And now I'll carry you everywhere until your ankle is properly healed."

"You will not! Put me down!" She smacked his chest lightly.

"I'm your hero, damsel in distress. You should be kissing me, not hitting me."

"Fine." Alice puckered her lips and kissed his bruised cheek. "Thank you. Now put me down." He did as she asked, putting her on the bed and propping her ankle on a pillow. He was sweet when he wanted to be. "I can handle this," Ali said with a smile. "Thanks for the masseuse, Edward. He did a lovely job."

"No problem," he told her.

Emmett sat in one of the seats and Rose sat on the arm of his chair. I joined Edward and he immediately pulled me against him. He was as touchy feely as he'd been the first week we had together. I leaned into him.

"So, do you have a trial date or what?" Edward asked his brother. That was a damn good question. We probably should have checked out the judicial system before we came over, knowing Emmett.

Emmett grinned widely. "Nah, the charges were dropped."

Holy shit! "Dropped?" I asked in disbelief. "How in the hell did that happen?"

Edward chuckled. "Mom."

Emmett nodded. "Yeah, I don't really know what she did, but I know that all four of the guys we beat on, who were more than happy to point the finger at us as they were hauling us in, decided not to press charges after they made their phone calls."

Edward leaned forward. "She got their companies to turn on them?"

Emmett shrugged. "God only knows what she did but you know Mom gets shit done. She must have wielded her power and scared the piss out of the tabs these guys worked for."

"She was pretty worked up. She was all about self-defense."

"Yeah, well, we're free to go, although we've been warned not to get in anymore trouble." He grinned at Rose. "They don't know us very well, clearly."

Rose snorted. "I was more or less joking about you getting arrested without me, but I'm glad we went together."

"And you're on _TMZ_ ," I informed her, which made Rose scream and grab the laptop.

She typed on the keyboard and then shrieked. "Look at you! Damn, no wonder they were all over our asses this morning. You two look like you're about to rip those pretty clothes off."

Edward grinned at me. "Not too far off," he murmured in my ear. I laughed. So very true.

"There we are! Damn it, look at my hair. I look like fucking trailer trash. That son of a bitch girly man pulling my fucking hair. Em, you look hot. All enraged and sexy." Rose was fascinated by the pictures. I knew she would be.

Emmett went to check it out. "I do. So do you, baby. You look like you do when you ride me…"

"Hey!" Edward yelled while Alice and I both shouted, "No!"

Emmett just grinned. "Well, she does. And what is this? Is this my baby bro flipping the bird at the press? Will wonders never cease?"

Edward shrugged. "Mom already gave me a little shit for it. Kate sent me a text asking if I was channeling you in that moment."

Emmett laughed. "Nah, if you had been you would have waded in and thrown some more punches. I know you wouldn't show them your ass, that costs a few million doesn't it?" Edward tossed a pillow at him as he chortled. "I'm glad you didn't just turn a blind eye to them, Eddie. They need to know that they crossed a fucking line."

"Yeah, well they pissed me off."

"Do we have a plan?" he asked, taking his seat again.

"Kate's en route and she's having Bree from _Rolling Stone_ come over to interview us. I'm going to have Garrett hire some bodyguards for the girls and see about finding a new place for us to stay, with security so they can't get near them again."

He was? "You are?" I asked.

He looked guilty as he took my hand. "Yeah, if you're okay with it. I want you guys to be able to go out and the best way is if you have someone with you and if they can't get close to you. They still might be able to catch up to you when you're out, but that's what the bodyguards are for."

I exchanged glances with my friends to see if they were cool with it. I could tell that they thought it was for the best and God knew I didn't want to sit in a hotel for two months. They nodded and I turned to him. "Okay, Edward. But I don't want you going to a bunch of expense just because of this."

He shook his head. "There's no amount of money I wouldn't pay to make sure you were safe." He glanced at Alice and Rose. "All of you. I promised Charlie I'd take care of you and that's what I'm going to do."

"Charlie!" Rose gasped. "Have you talked to him?"

I shook my head. "I was waiting until we knew what was up with you before I called him. He must not have been on _TMZ_ yet today."

"Or he has and he's waiting to see how long you'll take to call him," Alice warned me. I got out my phone and made everybody laugh. Edward looked like he was on edge, though.

"Cut it out, Edward," I told him. "This is not your fault. It's theirs, remember?"

"Right." He didn't look as if he believed me.

"Em?" Edward asked. I glanced over and saw that Emmett looked pale and nervous as hell.

"He's going to kill me. Rose got arrested. I promised him. Don't call him yet, Bella. Rosie, pack your shit, we need to go on the run. We'll go to Siberia. It's hard to find people there."

"He'll understand, Emmett." I called Dad and put it on speaker. I wasn't going to let Dad crucify him for defending me.

"Hi, Dad," I said when he answered.

"Hi, Bells. How's Germany?" he asked.

I glanced at Edward who shrugged. Here we go. "Uh, well, it's been better."

"What happened?" he demanded. "Who's in trouble? If it's Emmett, don't even bother to tell me."

Emmett groaned and looked like wanted to die while Rose laughed at his ass. "Wellllll," I started.

"What did that boy do?" he asked, interrupting me.

"Um, well, you know that Edward and I were going out last night, right?"

"Yes, and I told you it was a dumb idea. The odds are…wait, you got caught, didn't you?"

Yes, he knew, of course. "Apparently. They were lying in wait when Alice, Rose and I left this morning and they came at us, surrounding us and yelling and taking pictures."

"Are you alright? Are Alice and Rose? What happened?" he asked. He was starting to get agitated, I could tell. Dad's words always got faster and more clipped when he was worked up.

"We're all fine for the most part, Dad."

"What does for the most part mean? Spill, Bella."

"I have a twisted ankle and Rose has sore knuckles and a bruised hip and Bella's got a scratch on her arm, Charlie," Alice supplied.

"Sore knuckles? Rose, are you there?" he wondered. Of course he was suspicious of the sore knuckles.

"Right here, Chief Daddy," she said with a shit eating grin on her face. "And before you ask, yes, they're sore because I beat the shit out of a guy who thought he could go through me to get to Bella and cop a feel while he was at it."

Dad groaned. "How much trouble are you in?"

"Well, Emmett and I got arrested," she announced, making Emmett slump even further in his chair while my Dad yelled, "What?"

"Yeah, we got taken in but all charges were dropped."

"How did Emmett come into this?" He didn't sound too pissed off, thankfully.

We all glanced at Emmett. "Rosie called me when they were being attacked. Attacked, Charlie! They needed me so I came down and some guy had a hold of Rosie so I was forced to get him off her and get Alice and Bella out of there."

"Uh huh," Dad muttered. "And why I am seeing reports of you beating on at least four men?" Uh oh, he was on the web.

"Because they were beating on me?" Emmett asked, his voice cracking. "What was I supposed to do Charlie? Let them trample the girls and accost my Rosie?"

There was uncomfortable silence while we waited for my dad to say something. "No. You protected the girls, which is the most important thing. We'll discuss you getting Rose arrested at another time."

"I got myself arrested, Charlie," Rose told him, sounding very impressed with herself. "Cuffed and shoved in the back of a police car." She shot me that look she always shot me when she was going to say something inappropriate about my father. "It made me wonder about…" I threw my own pillow at her to shut her up. "Nothing," she said, laughing her ass off.

"Kids," Dad complained. "And where was Edward when all this was going down?"

My poor boyfriend cleared his throat. Sweet Edward. Dad better not blame him. "I was filming, Charlie. But I came as soon as I got Bella's call. My publicist is on her way here and a reporter I trust is coming to interview me and Bella. We're out, now, so we're going to talk. She'll be calling you, I'm sure. You might get tracked down and asked some questions."

Dad grunted something or other. "I'm sorry," Edward told him. "I never wanted any of this to happen. I'm going to hire some bodyguards and we're going to move to a more secure location. I'll do whatever I can to protect them."

"Did you tip off the press so they'd know who Bella was?" he asked angrily.

Edward looked stunned. "No, of course not."

"Then I don't know what you're apologizing for. Did Bella have a good time on your night out?"

Edward smiled at me. I didn't even need to answer that. It should be obvious. "Yeah, she did."

"Well, then, I guess it was worth it since none of my girls were harmed overly much. And it wasn't your fault. How'd they get the picture?" Good damn question.

"We weren't followed, so either somebody ratted or a reporter just got lucky and ducked around the building at the right time. They do hang out here. My publicist has her people on it."

"I suppose. You look beautiful in this picture, Bella," Dad said, the anger fading from his tone. "I'm assuming this speculation about you getting married is incorrect."

I giggled. "Thanks, Dad. Rose bought me the dress. And of course we didn't get married!" I hadn't seen that speculation yet. Someday. Yes, someday.

He laughed. "I thought as much. He knows better than to marry you without me being present." Edward looked petrified at the thought. "Edward, you do what you have to do to keep my girls safe. If there's anything I can do, any police I can contact, you let me know."

"I will, Charlie," he promised.

"Emmett!" Dad yelled, causing the big guy to jolt.

"Yes, sir!" He saluted the phone even though Dad couldn't see him.

"Don't you throw any more punches unless my girls are in danger, you got me?"

"Yes, Charlie. I swear I won't get in any fights unless it's to protect our girls."

" _My girls,"_ Dad corrected. "I'm giving you a pass on this one since the story here says that Rose threw the first punch. Damn, girl, don't you know better?" he asked

"He grabbed my ass, Charlie." Rose grinned, knowing exactly what that was going to do. I sighed.

"Who? What was his name? Who does he work for?" Dad started yelling as everybody else laughed.

"I handled it, Charlie. What did you think of my picture?" she asked, giggling.

"Uh, you look like you've been brawling," he stammered.

"But do I look sexy?" she asked. I groaned.

"Ignore her, Dad."

"I will, Bells. You're sure you're alright? I don't want you to be upset about those reporters. If any of them call me, I'll give them hell for going after you."

He would, too. Such a good dad. "I'm fine, Dad. Edward's going to take care of everything."

"I believe that, which is why I'm not on my way to the airport right now." Thank God. We were of a like mind there, because Emmett let out a huge sigh of relief that made Dad laugh. "Damn right, boy. I've got my eyes on you and I'll hold you responsible if it happens again, even if Rose throws the first punch. You got that?"

"Yes, sir, Chief," Emmett replied.

"Good. I have to go to work, but you all stay out of trouble, you hear me?"

"Yes, Dad. Love you," I told him.

"Yeah. Love you, too. We'll talk soon." We disconnected and I breathed a sigh of relief. He'd taken it pretty well, all things considered.

Emmett collapsed into his chair. "Thank God that's over."

Edward shot him a sunny smile. "Have you talked to Mom, yet?"

"Don't even joke about that. She got me out of jail," Emmett pointed out. "She can't be too pissed."

"Well she was pissed at the paps, but now that you're out…" Edward laughed when Emmett threw the pillow back at him. "Just saying."

"I'll call and thank her later. For now I think we should order room service and porn."

"I don't think so!" Alice yelled.

Emmett chuckled. "I was talking to Rosie. Seeing her fighting and cuffed got me worked up."

"Gross," Alice decided, but Rose clearly disagreed, getting to her feet.

"So true. I have some adrenaline I need to release. We'll see you tomorrow." Emmett was up, yelling for joy and hustling her out the door without so much as a glance back.

"Well, that was interesting," I decided.

"I'll say. But Em had it right," Edward declared.

"Ewwww," Alice grumbled. "I guess I'll go then."

Edward shook his head. "I meant room service and a movie, a non-porn movie. How does that sound?"

"Less fun than porn," I whispered, kissing his ear and making him groan. "Sounds good," I said for Alice's ears.

"Get out the menu," he suggested to me. "We'll see about the porn tonight," he whispered. I giggled. I could see it now. Cullen Porn Addiction, story at eleven. Well, we were news now, why not be interesting news?


	56. Interviews

"That cuntwhore bitch from hell! I'm going to kill her!" Since it was just the four of us in Edward's and my room, I really hoped she wasn't referring to any of us in it. Emmett was blowing up a building or bridge or something, so he was in the clear, but Rose sounded furious. What could it be?

"What now?" I asked. She was on Edward's iPad, so it might very well be something new about me. About us. I'd stayed the hell away from the internet, having learned my lesson before there were pictures of me to comment on. Even though I loved how I looked in it, that didn't mean everybody would. I'd rather be clueless, thank you.

"Our names are out there," Rose hissed. "Jessica fucking ratdick Stanley gave inside scoop to _TMZ."_ Shit. Well, it was to be expected, right? At least she'd kept her trap shut until my picture appeared.

Edward sighed. "They would have gotten them by tomorrow anyway." That was true. Tonight Edward and I were going to be meeting with a reporter from _Rolling Stone_ to discuss our relationship. I couldn't really wrap my head around the fact that I, Bella Swan, was being interviewed in a national magazine. "Plus your name is already public record because of the arrest," he pointed out.

"Yeah, but that bitch says she isn't surprised I was arrested because I've always displayed violent tendencies. I'll show her a fucking violent tendency!" She whirled around the room, swinging the iPad dangerously as she ranted.

"Shit, we're just lucky she didn't talk before this. She's sent me a boatload of text messages," I reminded them. I'd shut off my phone, not wanting to hear her rhapsodizing about Edward anymore.

"Yeah? Did she tell you she opened her fucking mouth about Tyler?" Tyler? Why? Why would she do that? Edward wrapped his arm around me.

"What did she say?" Alice demanded, glaring.

" _Bella's had a very tough senior year. She'd been dating Tyler Crowley practically since the first day of school freshman year,"_ Rose quoted, looking like she'd kill someone. The first day? That wasn't true. "Bullshit. You got together with him toward the end of the year. Of course Jessica has to fucking embellish." She cleared her throat. _"Coming into this year, she found out that he'd been cheating on her for God knows how long and he knocked up his old girlfriend back home. He didn't return to school and told Bella over the phone that it was over. She was crushed."_

Why? Why the fuck was it necessary to bring that up? Wasn't it rather clear that I was over that asshole by now? Hell, I was over him before I met Edward. The whole world was going to know I got cheated on. That was just great.

Edward kissed the top of my head. "It's okay, baby," he reassured me.

"It's not okay. It's humiliating. Why did she have to tell them that?" I asked, not that he could answer.

"Oh, she told them more than that," Rose fumed. _"I'm pretty sure she was clinically depressed for months. We all called her Unabomber behind her back because she was constantly hiding in this gray hoodie. I was really worried she was going to hurt herself."_ What? Now I was suicidal? Jesus Christ. This was awful. "I'm going to crush that bitch hard. What utter horseshit! Just because you didn't fuck every other guy on campus like she did doesn't mean you were clinically fucking depressed. I would have known if you were and I damn well would have gotten you help!"

"You did help," I promised her. "I can't believe Jess would do that." Why was I surprised? She was vindictive and evil. Sending me those texts about how great I looked with Edward and telling a trashy tabloid that I was insane and suicidal.

"Oh, she's grabbing her fifteen minutes of fame. We'll see how much talking she can do when I get through with her," Rose decided. She sent a text from her phone. "There."

"What did you do?" Alice asked.

"Nothing yet. I asked Emmett to get me one of those throwaway cell phones. I'm going to have a little talk with Jessica's parents. See how much talking she can do if they throw her ass in rehab." Should I stop her? I probably could but right at this moment I didn't want to.

"Who says they'll believe you?" Alice wondered.

"I know where she keeps her stash. She may have been smart enough to move it, but I doubt it. If she was smart, she wouldn't have run her trap, would she? It'll have to suffice until I'm back in Washington and can kick her ass live and in person."

"Rose, don't you think that…" Alice started.

" _The other girl with them is their sidekick, Alice Brandon,"_ Rose read. Oh, hell, she didn't.

"Sidekick!" Alice screamed. "I'll show her a god damn sidekick!" The two of them started plotting. I thought about stopping them but no, I didn't have it in me to make them back off.

Edward smiled at me. "Your friends have very violent tendencies."

I laughed as he quoted Jess. She was such a moron. "Yeah, they kind of do, but that's why I keep them around. Saves me from having to do it."

Edward stroked a finger down my cheek. "Are you okay?"

"I have to be, don't I? This is what you warned me about. I didn't expect my supposed friends to throw all my skeletons to the press but I guess I should have." Thank God there was a lot Jess didn't know about, although of course she knew and tossed them the worst thing possible.

"It's not your skeleton, baby. It's his. You did nothing wrong."

"No, I just look like the pathetic dupe girlfriend." And a psycho.

"Ex-girlfriend," he corrected. "You're with me now. I like to think you consider me an upgrade."

Like that was even a question? I kissed him. "I do. There's no way he could compete with you."

He smiled. "Good. I know how you feel, baby. Let's not forget that the whole world knew Irina cheated on me and hooked up with James on set. It was embarrassing and I felt stupid, but she was the one that looked bad."

"True." I leaned into him. "I just wonder what else they're going to find interesting. My non-relationship with my mother? Are they going to go after her? Are they going to harass my dad? Should I call Tyler and ask him not to talk to them? I don't really know what to do here." I didn't want to talk to any of them, with the exception of Dad, but I didn't know what I was responsible for. What more could Tyler say? What might my mother say? Good for Bella, she nailed the big prize? God, how mortifying.

Edward checked his Rolex. "Kate will be here soon and we'll run it all by her. She'll know what to do." Right, Kate. Kate would help us. Edward swore that she'd know what to do.

"I could call him," Rose suggested, that same threatening smile on her face from when she'd called him before.

I chuckled. "I'm sure you could, but he probably won't answer after the last time you called him."

"As to the rest, your father can handle himself and any moron reporter that steps into Forks looking for dirt on you." That was true. They'd be sorry if they went after Dad. "What could your mom possibly say about you, Bella? Does she even really know you?" Edward asked.

He had a point but damned if it didn't hurt. I winced, instinctively. He looked stricken. "I'm sorry, baby. I didn't mean…"

"No, you're right," I reassured him. "I'm more concerned about her wanting to meet you and barging her way into my life once she knows that I…" I cut off before I finished the thought.

"Landed yourself a rich guy?" he said with a smile. Of course he understood. "She can't barge her way in if we don't let her. If you want me to meet her and to let her be a part of your life, I'll support you in that. If you don't, then she can go on living her life."

"She'd have to admit she isn't thirty if she does that," Alice pointed out.

"Fuck Renee," Rose grumbled.

Enough. I didn't want to think about it until Kate got here. "Speaking of parents, have you talked to yours?" I asked Rose.

She grinned. "I called them last night to tell them I'd been arrested. Dad about shit a brick. He told me to come home, like he has any say in what I do? I told him that I was on vacation and he'd see me when I felt like being seen, or that he could look me up on _TMZ_ if he missed me so much. He wasn't amused."

Only Rose. "I bet he wasn't. What about your mom?" I inquired.

"She went on and on about damage to the family name so I told her not to worry about it, I'd be a Cullen soon enough and that's the name I'd be damaging. They aren't too thrilled about me being involved with a stuntman with a shady past." She grinned, utterly thrilled about the fact that she was pissing them off in a new way. "Apparently the Chief of Staff's son at their hospital has been earmarked for me. They think they can barter me into marriage and get a promotion out of the deal. Fuck that." She shook her head. "Maybe Emmett and I should release a sex tape. That would scandalize the hell out of them."

Good Lord. Edward shook his head. "I don't think my parents would be overly thrilled by that one either."

Rose sighed. "True. It's a fun damn thought, though. The look on their faces! Maybe we could just make a private one that I could make them think had been released to the public." She would do it, too.

"Rose, nobody wants to see and or hear about your and Emmett's sexcapades," Alice informed her.

"Oh, they would. We look totally hot together," Rose declared. "It wouldn't get quite the hoopla that a sex tape of Bella and Edward would, but I think we'd get some hits."

"No sex tapes for anybody," I announced. Sex tapes had a way of getting out and I had a father who was alive. Even if I had a father that was dead, somehow he'd find a way to come back and kill me and Edward if we made one. I had no doubt about that.

"No fair," Rose protested, but with a grin. "I think that…" she broke off when someone knocked. "I got it." She went to the door and peeped through the hole. "There's a blonde woman in her late thirties and a man with brown hair, same age," she observed. "Kate and Garrett?"

"Sounds like it," Edward responded. She let them in and I got my first sight of the beautiful blonde woman who could be an actress if she wanted and her husband. I liked them already for making his life easier. Now, hopefully, they'd do the same for mine.

"If it isn't Laila Ali," Kate said, offering her hand to Rose. "It's nice to meet you without there being prison bars in between us."

Rose laughed and shook her hand. "It's Rose, actually, but I do throw a mean punch."

"You'd better to deal with Emmett," Kate told her. "This is my husband, Garrett. He's mostly useless but I bring him along to carry my bags." Yes, she was exactly as Edward had described her.

He glared at her and offered his hand. "Just how attached to Emmett are you? Because I could use a young…" he got cut off when Kate elbowed him. "Hey, you get to hit on Edward all the time, why can't I hit on a pretty young girl?"

"Because you just look like a pathetic middle aged man when you do it," she informed him. I really, really liked Kate already. "Bella, it's good to finally meet you. I'm sorry it had to be under these circumstances, but I'll do what I can to make it easier on you."

I went over and threw my arms around her. She hugged me back. She had a good, firm grip. That seemed fitting to me. "Thank you," I told her. I wished I could give her something more than just my thanks for helping us.

"Aren't you sweet? No wonder Edward fell for you. You have nothing to thank me for, sweetheart. I'm here to do my job, which I'm very good at. I'll do whatever I can to make this as painless as possible for you."

I let her go and smiled at her. "I hear you're the best."

"Damn right I am. Edward's lucky to have me and since he has me, you all have me. I'll take care of you just like I would our boy over there." She held out a hand to Alice. "You must be Alice. How's your ankle?"

"It's fine today," Ali said. "Ice and rest worked."

"Well, I'm sorry you went through that. I'm here to make sure that doesn't happen again."

"More like I am," Garrett interjected. The next thing I knew, he had his arm around me and was smiling at my boyfriend. "Let's see how you like it." He ran a hand down my arm. "Hi, beautiful. It's good to meet you."

I giggled and dodged him. I'd known that he might hit on me, harmlessly. I'd been filled in on Kate and Edward's teasing of her husband. "Edward warned me you might try to retaliate."

"Damn. Fine, I guess instead of convincing you to run off with me, I'll have to work on protecting you."

"Yes, you will," Edward agreed, giving them each a hug. "And on that front?" he asked.

"We've got four body guards from Security Guard on their way. I've already started researching places available to rent or own that are in gated communities or secure buildings. I haven't found any houses that fit the bill but there are a ton of apartments available that might work. I'm going to check out places today and see what seems to be the most secure."

Edward looked less tense for the first time since we'd been exposed. Well, other than when we were in bed, that is. "Thanks, G."

"No problem. I'm also arranging a car for the girls and the guards, a big SUV, tinted windows. It should be here tomorrow." Bodyguards, fancy cars, apartments…things were definitely about to change.

"You're pretty efficient," Rose told Garrett. "Thanks. We'll look forward to getting out again, even if we have to have big burly men with us."

"That's just to protect the press from you, slugger," Garrett responded, making her smile. "I'm off to take care of things. Katie, my love, you work your magic here. I'll call you later."

She kissed him and hurried him out of the room. "First things first," she said as she sat in one of the chairs. "Do either of you know a Johann Schmidt?"

I answered while Edward shook his head. "No."

"Well, he's the photographer who took the picture of you that's been viewed around the world. He's the brother of a Karl Schmidt, is that name familiar?" Nobody I knew. "He's employed at Reinstoff restaurant as a waiter and…" Oh! Our waiter let him know. Edward let out a low growl. "Yeah, it was your waiter. We made some calls and it seems he sold you out to his brother after he saw who he was waiting on that night. He wouldn't let him come to the restaurant but he came to the hotel and rightly figured you'd have an alternate entrance. He waited and well, you know the rest. Made a pretty penny for the picture, I'm sure."

Edward's eyes were shooting fire. "I guess I'll be calling Daniel," he declared. I knew he was mad, still. My anger had gone away and I didn't see the point in getting anybody fired. What good would it do?

"No, Edward," I murmured, sliding my hand over his. "What's done is done. Do we really need to help some guy lose his job after the fact?"

"They attacked you, Bella. I can't forget that." He was so tense. I squeezed his hand.

"I know, but he wasn't responsible for that. The paparazzi were. And it was probably going to happen no matter how we came out. I just don't think it's worth it."

Edward sighed but I could see that I'd gotten through to him. He didn't look quite as angry. "Fine, I won't get him fired."

"She's great for you," Kate announced. "He's not the type to get people fired, really he's not. He'd regret it if he did and you made him see that. Yes, I think you and I are going to get along very well," she told me.

"I'd like that." Having Kate as a friend could only be a good thing, as far as I could tell.

"Now, that being done, we'll talk strategy."

"We should go," Alice told Rose, who got up, though it looked like she didn't want to.

"I'll check in with the two of you after I'm done here. I'm already getting calls about you and it couldn't hurt to have Bella's best friends weigh in, especially one that got arrested fighting for her," Kate informed them.

Rose grinned. "We'll be in my room. Edward will give you the info. See you guys later." They took off and left us alone.

Kate booted up her computer. "I've seen the latest stuff on _TMZ_ identifying you. A Jessica Stanley? Who is she to you?" she asked me.

Evil bitch was probably not the answer to give at the moment. "She's sort of a friend, more of a frenemy," I decided. Kate laughed at my description.

"I'll say. She didn't really do you any favors there but we can spin it out and make it right. Is she correct on the depressive killer thing?"

Edward glared but this time I could laugh about it. "No. I wasn't overly social and of course I was a little depressed. More than that, I was embarrassed. Everybody we hung out with knew what he'd done and they'd give me that look, you know? That said they were sorry and pitied me but at the same time wanted to dig in and know how it felt."

"I get you," Kate replied. "The stuff about the ex is true, then?"

The bad part sure was. "Sort of. We got together toward the end of freshman year, not the beginning. He did cheat and get his girlfriend pregnant and inform me over the phone."

"Okay, so he's a dick. You didn't threaten the girl; try to kill him, anything like that?" Kate asked.

She sure boiled it down, didn't she? I couldn't help but laugh. "God, no. Why would I do that?"

Kate grinned. "Honey, I work in Hollywood. Trust me, that's nothing. But it's all good. Have you had any contact with him since the breakup? Anything that could look bad?"

My stomach turned when I thought about the flowers that he sent. Edward put his arm around me and instantly made me feel better. "Not exactly. He sent me flowers on what would have been our anniversary saying that he loved me and missed me and stuff. I threw them away."

Kate raised an eyebrow. "Megadick. He did that while his girlfriend was carrying his baby?"

"Wife," I corrected. "Yeah, she was nearly ready to have the baby at that point. They had a girl, if that's relevant."

"And you know that because?" Kate asked as she took notes.

"Because Jessica told me. I haven't spoken to him. Rose did, though."

"She did, did she?" Kate looked extremely amused. "I can guess how that conversation went."

I giggled remembering. "She may have threatened him with her scalpel if he contacted me again. He hasn't." And now I had to ask. Damn it, I didn't want to call him but was it wrong to leave him hanging in the wind? "Should I? I mean, his name's out there now. Should I call and warn him or ask him not to say anything?"

Kate shook her head. "No. In cases like these, asking people not to talk can be worse than if they do talk. He's the asshole, here, and I don't think he could spin it in a way that makes you look bad. You've had no contact with the wife?"

"No. I don't even know if she knows about me." Of course, now she probably would. I felt sort of sorry for her. "She probably will now, though."

Kate laughed. "That's his problem and it sounds like he deserves it. Anybody else that we need to worry about?"

"She has a stalker named Mike Newton," Edward interjected. I shot him a look. "What? It's true."

"First, he's not a stalker, just a guy who asked me out a lot," I corrected.

"And wouldn't take no for an answer, and constantly showed up where you were," he pointed out, like I didn't recall.

"Still, even if he does talk to the press, I doubt he'd say anything bad about me."

"He could lie, but it's doubtful. I'll make note of him and keep my eye out." Kate kept typing. "What about you? Were you ever arrested?"

Ha! I was alive and well right now, wasn't I? That wouldn't be the case if I'd been arrested. "My dad's a police chief. No, I've never been arrested or done anything that would be an arrestable offense."

"Good. Any enemies? Anybody that hates you and might say shit about you for fun?"

God, I hoped not. "Besides Jessica? Not that I know of. Lots of people dislike Rose but that's mostly because they're afraid of her. I can't imagine them coming after me."

"Alright. Any scorned lovers? One night stands that could come out of the woodwork?"

Oh Lord. Please, I hope not. Edward laughed at the expression on my face. "I know all about your past, baby."

"That doesn't mean I want everyone to." So embarrassing.

"Likely they won't, but just in case," Kate prompted.

"I dated a guy named Eric Yorkie in high school. He was my first; we were together just under two years. We broke up because of college and we're still friendly, if not friends. I didn't hook up with anybody until Tyler. After Tyler, there was a one night stand with a guy named Sam but I really and truly doubt that he's going to say anything about that. It was humiliating for both of us. Then there's Edward."

"Last and best," Edward supplied, smiling brightly. I laughed. That was the understatement of the century.

"Exactly. Okay, your father's a cop. I assume he doesn't have any sordid past that might be thrown in our faces."

What? No way! "No! I mean, I don't think so. If he does, wouldn't it have come up when he became a cop?"

Kate chuckled. "Probably. I'm just checking. You never know who might decide to talk. An ex-girlfriend of his, a past co-worker. People like to take their shot in the limelight."

"Dad didn't really date until recently. He's living with a woman named Sue Clearwater. She's lovely." Thank God for my dad's lack of a social life. I didn't want to read about his sex life any more than I wanted him reading about mine.

"And your mother?" Kate asked.

Edward took my hand and gave me a squeeze of support. "She left when I was three. I've only seen her a couple of times since then. We talk once a month or so, but she's more of an acquaintance than a Mom." I hated this. I didn't want to talk about her.

"It's okay, baby. Tell her everything," Edward encouraged me.

Right. I had to. "She dates, a lot. And she's into guys with money. Younger guys with money. She doesn't know about Edward, yet, but when she does…well, I have no idea what she'll say or do."

Kate didn't seem thrilled by my news and she typed more into her computer. "Name?"

"Renee Higgenbotham but I think she uses Swan a lot still."

"Can't blame her," Kate muttered. "Where does she live?"

"Florida last time I checked. She was off to New York with some banker named Paul that thought she was thirty."

Kate grinned. "She lies about her age? Well, she'd have to cop to a lot older than thirty if she decides to run to the press. That's good. I can work with that. Do you think she's going to be a problem?"

I had no clue. "I honestly don't know. She's never given me a lot of thought. Might she now that I'm with Edward? Yeah, it's possible. I have no interest in being around her, though."

Kate nodded. "Alright. I'll look more deeply into her. For now, when you're asked about her, just keep it simple. Your parents are divorced, your mom lives in Florida, and you talk to her on the phone but don't see her often. Don't mention any static; they'll want to dig in there. Just be vague, don't say you refuse to see her, just say you're busy right now but you hope to see her soon if it comes up. Don't volunteer things they don't ask."

Kate sat back and smiled at us. "I honestly don't think much of this is relevant or will come into play, but I like to be prepared on the off chance that it does. What the public wants, Bella, is your love story. They want to know how a college student from Washington landed a movie star from California. Be yourself. Show the love you feel for him. Try not to get angry when and if they push you on if those feelings are real. If they have eyes, they'll know. You two are constantly touching, leaning into one another, looking at each other and it's clear how you feel. Don't change that." How could anyone think I didn't love him? He was my world.

She addressed Edward. "Edward, you have to control your urge to take over and fight for her. If they ask something you don't like, give Bella a chance to answer or deflect it. If they persist, then step in. I know it's in your nature to want to protect her, but she can handle herself just fine as you've seen."

He sighed but didn't say anything. "Edward, I can handle it," I told him. I could. I would. I was going to show him and the world that I was the right girl for him.

He touched my cheek. "I know, baby. I just hate that you have to endure it."

"I'm not very interesting," I pointed out, which made Edward gape at me. I laughed at his expression. "You know what I mean. There are far more fascinating people to write about than me. Once we give this interview and the _People_ one, I doubt that they're going to be interested."

"They will, but not necessarily in talking to you. Edward, you need to get an evening off and go out with Bella. No hiding this time. You can take one or two of the bodyguards with you, but we want them to get pictures of you two holding hands, having fun, maybe even kissing." Edward looked annoyed by the suggestion. I kind of loved it, though, if only for the going out together and being normal part of things. "You know damn well that they want the money shot. The sooner they get it, the less interested they're going to be."

Edward ran his hand through his hair in agitation. "I hate performing for them like that."

"Don't think of it as performing. Just go out and have a good time. You guys have spent three weeks holed up here. Don't you want to go out to a club or a restaurant or go shopping or something? Forget the cameras, focus on the girl," Kate ordered.

Edward glanced at me. "Focusing on the girl is never a problem."

I grinned. "I don't mind, Edward. I love the picture of the two of us they've got already. What's a few more?" Okay, likely a few hundred more. Even so. We'd be together for these photos and it would make all the difference in my mind.

"Alright. I'll try to squeeze some time off from Dave."

Kate snickered. "He's pissed about today, huh? He'll get over it. You've never caused a problem before. If he has a problem with it, I'll talk to him."

"I'll handle it. We're ahead of schedule anyway. He's being a dick because I walked off the set yesterday but honestly they didn't need me for that much anyway. It was reaction shots and close-ups."

"It's fine. He's not going to trash his meal ticket. And frankly, the fact that you came running when your girl got in trouble just makes things more romantic. People will eat that shit up." Kate glanced at her watch. "Bree will be here shortly and I've got about a billion phone calls to return. Do you two have this down?"

"Yes," we agreed.

"Okay. I'll be back when she gets here. I'm going to make sure she doesn't step out of line or make you uncomfortable, Bella. I can look like the bitch if she pushes too hard, okay?"

That was a relief. "Okay. But I can be a bitch when I need to be."

Kate laughed. "Save it for when we need it." She got up. "I'll bring Bree up when she gets here."

"Thanks, Kate. I'm glad you're here," Edward said.

She grinned. "There's nowhere on earth I'd rather be. Let the fun begin." Hopefully it would be fun. I was going to try to look at it that way so I didn't freak out.

Xoxoxoxoxoxox

I heard the knock on the door as I checked myself out in the mirror one more time. I could honestly say I'd never put so much thought into my appearance as I had since Edward came along, but I was glad I could do it for him. And this time, it was for me, of course. I didn't want to look ridiculous next to my handsome boyfriend. My yellow sundress was very pretty, Alice and Rose approved, and it showed off the light tan I'd gotten. My hair fell across my shoulders in curls and my makeup looked good. Simple and me.

"Edward Cullen, it's nice to see you again," a female voice said.

"Bree, I'd say the same but I think you know that I'm not overly happy with the press right now." I grinned at the mirror. Trust Edward to tell her the truth.

She laughed. "I can't say I blame you. We're running that picture of you shooting the bird in this article. You remember our photographer, Caz?"

"Yeah." I didn't hear Caz say anything. "We thought we'd just do the interview here. Bella and me on the couch and you in the chair."

"That works. Caz will do his thing. Just pretend he's not here. And where is your lovely lady?" she asked.

Here we go. "I'm right here," I announced. All eyes cut to me and Edward grinned. I walked toward the girl with the short brown hair and lots of earrings in each ear. She was super casual in jeans and a t-shirt. I envied her the ability to dress down. Edward held his hand out to me and I took it. I felt a bit less nervous with him touching me. "Hi, Bree. I'm Bella."

I held out a hand and we shook. Edward guided us to the sitting area. I sat next to Edward, crossing my legs and trying to look confident and unaffected.

"It's very nice to meet you, Bella. I'm sorry that it's under slightly troublesome circumstances." She slipped a recorder out of her bag and Edward gave her a nod so she turned it on. Kate seated herself behind Bree, right in our eye line but out of hers. Having Kate there made me feel better, too.

Showtime. "They weren't optimal circumstances, but I'm not sorry that Edward and I aren't a secret anymore."

"You're not?" Bree asked, leaning toward me, looking intrigued. "Why is that?"

That was an easy one. "Because I'd like to be able to go out to dinner with my boyfriend without us having to take separate cars and practice our James Bond spy techniques. Edward hasn't been able to see any of Berlin except where he's been working, while I've been all over the city. I'd love to share it with him, when his schedule allows."

"I can understand that. It must be hard, dating a celebrity," Bree observed.

Surprisingly, it hadn't been, but that was because of our secrecy I knew. "Until yesterday, it's been really easy, but we've mostly had to keep to staying indoors. I'd never get tired of our bubble, but I am looking forward to expanding it beyond these four walls."

Bree nodded. "Edward, how did you feel when you found out the bubble had burst?" she asked, turning to him.

"I was worried about Bella's safety. When I heard what happened, I came running to make sure she was okay. What the press did to her, crowding her, hurting her and her friends is not acceptable in my eyes. Like Bella, I'll be glad to get out of the bubble and show my girlfriend off to the world, but I won't compromise her safety to do so." God he was sexy and commanding in an interview. I wanted to send Bree off and attack him.

"Your brother and a companion were arrested." A companion. I nearly smiled at that one.

"Yes, but all charges were dropped as it was clearly a case of self defense. I'm glad my brother and his girlfriend, Rose, were there to help Bella. I really shudder to think what would have happened had she been alone."

"You seem angry at the press." Ha! Way more than angry, lady. My boy was pissed.

"I'm angry at the way she was cornered and set upon. I'm the actor, not Bella. I wanted her to be able to enjoy her vacation, not be accosted by the press." He sounded like he was about to lose it so I squeezed his hand, reminding him to rein it in.

"Understandable, but if you'd given out information on her beforehand, this might not have happened."

Edward nodded. "Perhaps, or perhaps she would have been cornered sooner. In hindsight, we might have done things differently, but there's no point in focusing on what we can't change." Right, now we were going to focus on the future.

"I suppose not. And that's why we're doing this, so you can put to rest the questions about the two of you."

"Yes," Edward admitted.

Bree turned to me again. "Tell me about yourself."

God, I hated this question. But I expected it. Edward had prepped me pretty well last night. Of course, we'd been naked and alone at the time. I liked playing naked interview with my boyfriend. Best not to mention that. "I'm twenty-two, a recent UW college graduate with a degree in English. I grew up in Forks, Washington, raised by my father, Charlie. I read a lot; I like to write, watch movies, play games." I grinned at Edward, sending him a secret message with the play games comment. "I love to travel and to cook. That's really all I can think of right now." I smiled and shrugged.

Bree nodded. "I never know what to say when someone asks me that question, either. I'm guessing that your recent graduation was the reason Edward was in Seattle last month?"

I laughed. "Yes. He wanted to be there and he and his family came to see my big day. We were still trying to keep a lid on things so Emmett latched on to poor David Cullen and threw the press off."

"I give you guys credit, you managed to pull it off, including dinner out?"

Edward chuckled. "Yeah, that was one of my brother's machinations as well. It worked but I would rather have been able to take her out to celebrate in style. I can make up for that now."

I shook my head. How crazy was he? He'd given me a perfect celebration. "Edward, you've already given me plenty for graduation. Just you being there meant a lot." I faced Bree again. "He is easily the most wonderful man that I've ever met. You think you know what a famous person's going to be like, but meeting him, knowing him, has been beyond my wildest dreams."

Bree looked thrilled. "So you were a fan before you met?"

Oops. Well, I was, so it wasn't a lie. She didn't need to know what expectations I had or how I went looking for him. "Of course. I mean, he's beautiful. I never in a million years thought he'd be mine, but we clicked from the very beginning."

"And how did you begin?" Bree inquired.

I glanced at Edward. We'd agreed that as the actor, he should be the one to spout the half-truths. "My brother bought a new car back in March and he decided we needed to take a road trip to break her in. We drove all the way up the coast and one of our stops was for gas in Seattle. We were planning to head back down after we crashed for the night, but Emmett caught sight of Rose, Bella's friend and roommate. They got to talking and the next thing I knew, we were headed to their apartment. Bella was there and I took one look at her and I knew."

"Really?" Bree asked, looking thrilled. "Love at first sight?"

Edward's smile lit up his face as he looked at me. God, I would never tire of how he looked at me. "Yes. It's part of my family's history, actually. We all fall and fall hard. She and I spent the entire night talking and there was no going back."

"We got to have a couple of days before he had to leave, but they came back up and we spent my Spring Break together," I added.

"I had to come back down for my interview with you and then head over here to start shooting. Most of our time together has been over the phone and through email and such, until she graduated and came back with me," Edward said, wrapping up our story.

"So you've been dating about three months but only spent a month together," Bree observed. "That must be hard."

"Yes and no," I told her. "I missed him when we weren't together, of course, but I feel like the time we spent apart let us get to know one another better than we might have had we had all that time together. We spent a lot of time talking and learning about each other, sharing things that maybe we wouldn't have if we'd dated in a more traditional way."

Bree seemed to accept my explanation. I really believed it, though. We were closer because we'd had to communicate and reach out to one another. "That's understandable. And now that you've graduated, what are your plans?"

He'd told me that she might ask and I should be honest. "I guess I'd say that they're fluid at the moment. Edward and I don't want to be apart anymore."

"That's right," he said, lifting our joined hands and kissing mine. His eyes…God he was beautiful. I was having a hard time focusing on talking about our romance instead of just having it.

"I had planned on going to grad school and working toward getting my teaching degree, but having my name and face public now kind of changes things." All true. "I may look into online courses or see about transferring schools."

"You're staying with Edward?" Bree sounded thrilled at that revelation.

"Yes."

"Pretty fast for only having been together such a short time," she said.

I smiled. "Yes, it's quick and scary and exciting all at the same time. But it feels right, and that's the important thing. We're doing what makes sense for us."

"And who can blame you? Though, you're a child of divorce, are you not?" The jump from our future to my past surprised me and I winced in response. Edward slid his arm around me and I leaned into him. Yes, just touch me and keep me calm.

"Yes, I am, but I believe in love and marriage. Just because it didn't work out for my parents doesn't mean I shouldn't be open to it."

Bree nodded. "I agree. You were raised by your father. That's not very traditional, is it?"

Edward's hand moved up and down my back lightly, giving me silent support. "I guess not, but very few families are traditional these days. My father did a wonderful job raising me. I have no complaints."

"Was it hard growing up without a mother, though? There are so many things girls go through that you really don't want to discuss with dear old Dad, right?"

So many, but I wasn't going to tell her the period story, even if it was awesome. "I have a mother, and I spoke to her when I needed to. And I was fortunate in that one of my best friends, Alice, had a mother who was willing to step in and deal with some of those pesky girl things as well."

"So you have a good relationship with your mother?" Kate shifted in her seat, prepared if I needed her. I had to remember that.

"My mother isn't a traditional mother but she's easy to talk to and a good friend." More half-truths, but I wasn't going to trash my mother to the press.

"Do you see her often?" Bree asked, her blue eyes focusing on me like a laser beam. She knew. I took a breath to keep myself from freaking out.

"No. I've been very busy and she has her own life, but I call her when I need her and she's always there." If she answers.

"Was she at your graduation?" Bree wondered? More? I felt myself starting to freak out.

Kate leaned forward and cleared her throat. "I think you've pounded the mother question into the ground at this point, Ms. Tanner. If you continue along this vein I'll be forced to end the interview at this time and we'll let _People_ have the rest of it."

Bree didn't like that, looking a bit scared. "Alright, moving on. There was some information online today that I'd like to delve into, if that's okay?" She had turned to face Kate, so I said nothing.

"That would be up to Bella," Kate told her.

Bree turned and looked at me. "Sure," I agreed. I could handle this. It was the Tyler thing. I was ready.

"A friend of yours said that you got out of a long term relationship last year."

"Yes. I'd dated Tyler for about two and a half years," I informed her.

"And he cheated on you, impregnating his old girlfriend?" she prompted.

"Yes. He apparently got back together with his high school girlfriend over the summer when he was home. I found out that he wasn't returning to school and why when I got back in September." Just answer what she asks no more.

"That had to have been hard."

And here is where I show that I'm not a psycho. "It hurt, of course, but it was also embarrassing. It's never fun to have everybody know your business, especially when it involves something like that. His friends were my friends so they all knew what happened and I had to endure the sympathetic looks and that kind of thing."

"It does suck. I think we can all relate."

"I know I can," Edward cut in. "It was something that we talked about early on. A part of me wanted to hurt him for hurting her, but another part of me wanted to send him a thank you card. Anybody that's foolish enough to cheat on a girl like Bella doesn't deserve her."

He was so amazing. How much did I love him for steering the cheating thing back on him? I smiled at him. "I felt the same way about Edward's ex, of course. He's such a wonderful person, beyond being incredibly handsome and smart. I'm grateful that she didn't see what she had."

"Ahh, Irina," Bree said with a shake of her head. "Do you know that she's weighed in on the two of you?"

Edward smirked. "No. I can't imagine how she could weigh in, seeing as she doesn't know Bella."

Bree chuckled. "Please, Edward, you know how Hollywood rolls. She said she's happy you found someone that can help you move on."

Of course she did. I had to laugh. "I can't say that I was having a problem in that area, but I will say that Bella came into my life when I least expected her to. I planned on focusing on my career for a few years and forgetting about dating for awhile. It was so much effort and I figured I had better things to do. But you know what I found out, Bree?"

She shook her head. "What?"

"That it's not an effort at all when you're with the right person. Being with Bella is as easy as breathing. She doesn't expect me to be someone I'm not, to do things I don't want to do or like things that I just don't like. She lets me be me and that makes all the difference."

"And you're saying Irina didn't do that?" Bree inquired.

Kate shook her head, slightly, obviously encouraging Edward not to go too far. "I'm saying that Hollywood relationships involve a lot more stuff. Being seen in the right places, going to the right clubs and parties. That's not really who I am or what I'm interested in. I can do those things now and then, but I prefer quiet nights at home watching a movie and drinking a beer instead of the finest champagne."

"So you and Bella get to have a relationship that's more normal, you'd say."

"It is and it isn't, obviously. We had to stay in, which is different, but I feel like we got to enjoy being a couple instead of being a celebrity couple."

"I think if we'd dated publicly in the beginning, we'd still have spent a lot of time at home. Not because we had to, but because we wanted to," I told her. God knew I didn't want to be out each and every night being pictured and seen. "I look forward to going out to dinner and being on the red carpet with him, but I wouldn't want to do it all the time. Does that make sense?"

"Yes, I'd say that it does," Bree said. "You two seem very happy together."

"We are," I agreed.

"We've both had relationships before. I even had one that I thought was love, but once I met Edward I knew that I was wrong. He's exactly right for me."

Edward grinned at me. "And she's perfect for me."

"You never wanted to date a fan," Bree pointed out. If she only knew.

Edward laughed. "That's true. I didn't think someone that wasn't in the business could understand my life and put up with the demands that it entails. I also didn't know if a fan could like me for who I really am or if it would be all about Edward Cullen, movie star. Bella's shown me that none of that mattered and she likes me for me."

"Loves you for you," I corrected him.

"Loves me for me," he said, kissing me. I kissed him back, not caring about the weird silent bald guy with his camera or Bree or even Kate.

Bree laughed. "Don't mind me, I'm just writing down everything you say and do."

Edward laughed but kept his eyes on me as we broke apart. "Sorry. It couldn't be helped."

"So do you think you're going to be able to handle his world, now that you're public?" she asked me.

There was no question. "Yes," I answered. "I got a crash course yesterday, of course, and if that didn't send me running, nothing will. I'm looking forward to spending our lives together, in and out of the house."

Edward smiled. "I honestly can't wait to show her the world, now that we're not hiding anymore."

"Well, if it means anything, you've got at least one reporter rooting for you two to make it work. You've been a delight," Bree said, bending forward and shutting off her recorder. "Did you get everything you need, Caz?" He nodded and Bree stood.

"Thank you for keeping your word with me, Edward. You didn't have to do that when everything broke, but you did and I won't forget it." She offered her hand to him and he shook. Then she turned to me. "You seem like a lovely, grounded woman. Things do get crazy in our world, but I think you'll handle it. I wish you both luck." I thanked her for that. "We'll be going out to press as soon as I get this written up. I'll see that you have a copy." She shook hands with Kate, too. "Will I be able to speak with Rose and Emmett and perhaps the other girl, Alice?"

"I've arranged that," Kate told her. "I'll take you there in a moment. If you'll wait out in the hall for me?"

"Absolutely. Thanks again, you two."

They left and Kate hugged us both hard. "You rocked that! It couldn't have gone better if I scripted it. Your absolute love for one another was palpable. I'm so proud of you," she said to me. "Now I'm going to go make sure Rose and your brother keep things classy," she told Edward.

Edward snorted. "Good luck with that."

"I know. I'm going to earn that raise yet. I'll see you tomorrow. Celebrate tonight."

She left and Edward swept me up into his arms. "She had that right. You were great, baby. It was like you'd given a hundred interviews before."

I laughed, relieved it was over and I'd managed not to sound like a complete moron. "I don't know; I froze up when she brought up my mom."

"But you handled it and so did Kate. You were amazing."

"You make me feel that way," I said, smiling at him.

"Allow me to make you feel that way right now." He brought me into the bedroom and undressed me in a hurry. I had zero problems with that. I wanted him so bad. "I love you and I can't wait to show you off to the world."

That could wait. "Just you, right now. The world tomorrow." The bubble for now. It was the best place to be, after all.

* * *


	57. Long Overdue Words

It had been a crazy couple of days, to say the least. I was pretty sure that everybody I'd ever met had called me since the picture of us broke and the interviews started coming out. Edward and I had not only met with _Rolling Stone_ and _People,_ we'd also sat down with _Entertainment Tonight_ and _Extra._ If I thought that doing print interviews had been daunting, it was nothing compared to TV. Although those, blessedly, had been short and sweet, just a brief overview of how Edward and I met and how happy we were. Plus Mario Lopez wasn't exactly Bob Woodward grilling me on Watergate, thankfully. I'd just had to worry about how I looked and if I was making any stupid faces. Edward assured me that I hadn't, but of course he was too in love with me to notice anyway. I was probably going to have to change my phone number when I got the chance.

I couldn't put one of my callers off any longer than I had already. Tonight Edward and I were going out, publicly, and giving the photographers gathered outside the hotel what they wanted. While we led them away, Emmett and the girls were going to get all of our stuff and move us to the new penthouse apartment Garrett had found. I had no idea how he managed to get us secured in a six bedroom place that quickly, but I expected Edward's money talked again. I felt bad that it was costing him so much but he blew it off and said the studio was going to pay for most of it anyway. I guess it was good to be a star.

And it was also good to face things. I knew that. So I highlighted her number and hit send. "Bella!" she squealed on the first ring. Of course she actually pounced on the phone when I called now.

"Hi, Mom."

"Where have you been? Well, I know where you've been! You're all over the web and the news. Imagine that, my daughter in magazines! I'm so excited! Why didn't you tell me?"

I felt the headache already brewing behind my eyes not even twenty seconds into the phone call. "Because Edward and I were keeping it quiet."

"But I'm your mother! You don't keep these things from your parents! Your father knew, didn't he?" she asked accusingly.

"Not right away." That was the truth. He hadn't found out until before Spring Break.

"He obviously knew at your graduation that Edward attended," she pointed out, sounding huffy. "If I'd known, I would have come."

Why, why was I even surprised that she said that? "So, you couldn't give up your vacation with the banker to attend your own daughter's graduation but you'd cancel if you could meet Edward? It's wonderful to see just where your priorities are when it comes to me, _Renee."_ She wanted me to call her by her first name when I met her latest sucker, so I'd call her that now. She didn't deserve to be called Mom.

"Bella, you know I didn't mean it like that."

Right. "That's exactly what you said. It doesn't even matter." It did, but it needed to stop mattering. I didn't need her.

"I just meant that if I'd known you had someone important in your life, of course I'd want to meet them."

"You didn't feel the need to come meet Tyler. Let's not pretend you would have made the effort if my boyfriend hadn't been famous." It actually felt kind of good to call her out on her shit for once. Edward had told me I needed to stand up for myself when we talked about me calling her and I wanted to make it clear to her that she wasn't magically going to be a part of my life now.

"Tyler wasn't good enough for you, baby. You've clearly figured that out for yourself. No wonder you didn't want to date Paul's brother. You already struck the mother lode!"

Yes, ladies and gentleman, this is my mother. "He isn't the mother lode. He's the love of my life."

"Yes, yes, you should hurry up and marry him before some co-star sinks her claws into him," Mom recommended. "Normally I wouldn't encourage you to get married so young but you need to nail him down while he's still crazy about you!"

I closed my eyes and prayed for patience. "I don't need to nail Edward down. He's mine and that's not changing."

"That's a good attitude to have. Always display confidence. It won't stop them from coming after him, but they'll think twice at least. I can't wait to meet him! He must have all sorts of loaded friends. Is that Matthew McConaughey guy single?"

Of course she asked about someone younger than her. I should probably be grateful that she didn't ask about someone Edward's age. "I'm pretty sure he's married or at least taken," I told her dryly. "And I have no plans to hook you up with anybody."

"Well, really, Bella, must you hog Hollywood all to yourself? Together we could take it by storm! Are you afraid I'll steal your thunder?"

Christ. "No. You haven't bothered to visit me in years, why do you think I'd suddenly let you come see me now?"

"Because I'm your mother," she reminded me.

That did it. "You're not my mother," I snapped. "You're the person who gave birth to me and left me behind. Monthly phone calls and the occasional present do not a mother make."

"Just because I'm not traditional doesn't mean I don't love you," she pointed out, sounding a little sad.

I sighed. "I think you do love me, in your way, but it's not fair of you to think you can just barge your way into my life as if we're a normal mother and daughter or even friends."

"I thought we were friends," she said softly.

Jeez. "I don't need a friend. I have plenty of friends. Perhaps you saw that one of them got injured while protecting me and another got arrested. You haven't even asked me if I'm okay. You focused on Edward, just like I expected."

"I knew you were okay. I saw you on TV with my own two eyes, didn't I?" she asked, sounding annoyed now. "I don't know what you expect from me, Bella."

I laughed sarcastically. "I stopped expecting things from you a long time ago. What I want from you now is to back off on meeting Edward and anything else. I want you not to try to use this for yourself in any way."

"So you get to hog all the glory?" she demanded.

"Glory? What in the hell are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the magazines and the internet and TV. What do I get, Bella?"

God, she pissed me off. "You get to go on living your life on your own, just the way you liked it up until a few days ago. You don't even need to feel obliged to give me a passing thought if you don't want to."

"And what if I want to?" she asked harshly. "What if I want the fame and the fortune?"

Really? Yeah, go ahead and use me for it, worse, use him for it. "Then get it for yourself. You're not getting it through Edward."

"I don't know, I imagine some of those tabloids would be interested in hearing about you from your mother, wouldn't you think?"

And there it was. Even though I expected it, her words still cut through me. "You'd have to actually know me to talk about me. Think really hard, _Mom._ What's my favorite book?"

"How is that important?" she deflected, not even trying to answer.

"Fine. What's my favorite color? A mother should know that, right?"

"Red," she suggested.

I laughed. I'd worn red for the _Extra_ interview. "Not quite."

"Well, really, Bella, what does me knowing your favorite things have to do with anything?" She was getting really pissy now. I found that instead of depressing or upsetting me, I was amused. That was much better.

"What would you be able to tell the press about me that was actually accurate? All you'd do is show just how well you don't know your daughter. Do you like looking like a fool?"

"I never look like a fool, Bella." Her voice was cold.

That wasn't even worth contradicting. "Whatever, Mom. Do what you're going to do. I'm not the famous one, Edward is. This interest in me is just temporary."

"That's why you have to strike while the iron is hot! I bet if you get him to propose, we could get a reality show where we're planning your wedding! Imagine it!"

I had a quick mental image of my mother in tiny jean shorts and a tube top telling Vera Wang what my wedding dress should look like. It was both horrifying and amusing. " _When_ I marry Edward, it'll be for the two of us, not for thousands of strangers. If you want to be invited to that wedding someday, you'll respect my request that you keep quiet and keep out of my relationship. Someday I'd like to have an actual relationship with my mother that is half as good as the one I have with Edward's. The choice is yours."

"I just want what's best for you," she whined.

"Edward is what's best for me. Damaging that with lies or even half truths would be something I would never forgive. That's what I called to say. I hope you can respect that and just be happy for me."

"I am happy for you! I want to be part of it!" she insisted.

"Then prove it, Mom. For once in your life, put me first. We'll talk again when I see that you've done so. I've got to go."

"But Bella…"

"No more. Think about what I said. Take care."

I disconnected before she could say anymore and buried my face in the pillow. That was done. It was in her hands whether or not we had an actual relationship from here on out. Now I was going to get ready to put the relationship that really mattered out there for the public to devour. It was going to be weird to be on display, but Edward would get me through. Of that I had no doubt.

Xoxoxoxoxoxox

Was it too much? Rose and Alice had signed off on it when we picked it out but maybe I was too dressy for a night on the town. I should change, maybe into another sundress or something. I studied myself in the mirror. The royal blue looked good on me and the dress showed off every curve. I'd gone a long way from wearing hoodies and jeans to wearing Gucci and Ralph Lauren. Maybe I wasn't wearing enough. I was showing too much skin.

"Hey, baby, I just need to…" Edward came around the corner and literally goggled when he saw me. Those gorgeous green eyes of his went hot and hungry, making my mouth feel dry. "You look gorgeous," he said eventually, never taking his eyes off me.

"You don't think it's too much?" I asked, pulling at the hemline. It stopped just above my knees and the black sandals I wore should be comfortable for walking.

"If it were any less I wouldn't be able to take you anywhere without having to commit a hundred acts of violence," he responded, stopping in front of me with that look on his face that told me we were going to be in trouble if we didn't leave soon. Not that I really had a problem with that.

"I meant, is it too fancy? We're just going to walk around and eat somewhere simple, right? I don't want to look like I tried too hard."

He moved my hair over my shoulder and brushed his fingers over my skin, making goosebumps appear in his wake. I would never get over how good it felt when he touched me. He let out a soft moan. "You're perfect, baby. You don't look like you tried too hard. You look beautiful. So beautiful that the last thing I want to do is go out and share you with anyone. You're all mine."

He could say all he wanted about my gift with words, but he was way better with them than I could ever hope to be. I put my arms around his neck and kissed him. "Thank you. You always know what to say to calm me down."

"You always know what to do to work me up," he responded, which made me giggle. That was definitely true, though the man could get worked up when I was wearing jeans. "Let me grab a quick shower and we'll head out. Are Toby and Chris ready?"

Bodyguards. I was going to have to get used to them, at least for awhile. At least I liked them so far. Chris barely said a word and Toby was sweet but huge. "Yep, they're next door waiting for us." Edward gave me another kiss before he started pulling out clothes. He got black pants and a black t-shirt and started rifling through his button downs. He picked black but I stilled him and grabbed the dark green one. "I love this with your eyes."

Edward gave me his sexy smile and took the green shirt. "Whatever you like, baby. Or should I wear blue to match you?"

God, no! "Oh no, we're not going to be one of those couples!"

He chuckled and kissed the tip of my nose. "Agreed. Why don't you come talk to me while I take a shower?"

As if I didn't know what that would lead to? The man was so transparent. "We both know if I do that, we'll never leave."

Edward pouted for a second but then flashed me another smile. "Alright, I'll be right out."

I had to fight the urge to go in and join him, which was difficult, but I focused instead on the night ahead. I was nervous, I had to admit. I'd been holed up inside the hotel ever since the incident and while I was a little stir crazy, I didn't necessarily want to encounter that all over again. But it was part of being with Edward and I would endure anything for him.

It was weird, how many people wished they could be famous. It seemed glamorous and I knew that part of it was, but I hadn't experienced much of that yet. Having money and being able to spend it however you wanted was definitely great, but if you couldn't go out without having cameras and people in your face, was it really worth it? Like with anything, I suppose it depended.

For me, Edward was worth the lack of privacy and anonymity. But I was pretty sure I would never be one of those people seeking out fame on my own. I wouldn't want to be in a reality show like my ridiculous mother wanted.

"Should I shave?" Edward called from the bathroom.

Was he crazy? He was rocking some beautiful stubble as Steven Steele. "Are you kidding? Stubble!" I responded.

It was nearly time. I needed to calm down and be ready for whatever might come our way. I looked out the window and tried to focus. I felt rather than heard Edward behind me as he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me against him. "Are you okay?" he asked.

I tried to release the tension in my limbs, burying my face in his neck and breathing in his soapy, clean scent. "Just nervous," I admitted.

He rested his cheek on top of my hair. "You'll be fine," he promised. "I wouldn't take you out if I didn't think we could keep you safe."

Of course he wouldn't. I trusted him completely. It was the press and the random people and fans I didn't trust. I turned and cupped his face. "I know. I don't think what happened on Monday is going to happen again, not with you and the bodyguards there. I'm just nervous about all the eyes that are going to be on us. It feels weird, you know?"

He smiled reassuringly. "I do. All I can tell you is that you eventually get used to it and can tune it out, though there are usually some people who will get through your guard but it's not so bad."

Not so bad, huh? We'd see. I kissed his cheek. "We'll see about that. You always make me feel better. Thanks, handsome." His collar was up a bit so I smoothed it and then readied myself, taking a deep breath and giving him the smile I knew he needed. "Let's go do this."

He smiled and held out a hand. "May I escort you out for the evening, Isabella?"

He always knew how to lighten the mood. I laughed and pretended not to be thrilled at his invitation. "I suppose I have nothing better to do."

"I do," he said, his smile turning feral and making me laugh even more. He had such a one track mind. I loved it though. "But Kate will kill us if we do what I want to do."

She would. If I'd learned anything in the past few days with Kate, it was that she was fierce, loyal, funny and very good at her job. She knew what we needed to do and I trusted her just as much as Edward did. He had a wonderful team around him. Garrett had arranged so much in only a few days. It was amazing really. I couldn't wait to see our apartment. Which brought me right back to Edward's original thoughts of sex.

I smiled and linked fingers with Edward. "We'll just have to do it when we get to our new place. We have to break it in, don't we?"

He chuckled. "That we do. I can't wait to explore the whole place with you."

If only! "Rein it in, Cullen; we are sharing with a billion other people." Alice, Rose, Emmett and four bodyguards would likely limit our exploration, but we got the master bedroom, I was sure there'd be plenty to explore in there.

He smiled and we moved to the doorway, but he stopped before opening it. He lifted our joined hands and kissed my knuckles. Dear God, what the feel of those lips did to me. Anything was worth the feeling he gave me. "If it gets to be too much for you, too much at all, you let me know and we'll get out of there. You're my priority, not the publicity and the press. Okay, baby?"

"I'll be fine, Edward," I promised. I would be, with him by my side.

"I know you will. Keep your focus on me and they'll all fade away."

That wouldn't be a hardship. And it was a good idea. Just focus on Edward. What more could I want? "That should be easy enough. You're all I see."

He grinned. "Same goes, baby. Unto the breach," he said as he opened the door. Hopefully this would be one siege we'd survive.

Xoxoxoxoxox

It was just like it had been on Monday, only this time I had Edward and two very large, burly men guarding me. There was that one instant, when we first stepped out of the hotel, where it seemed like we were just normal people heading out to dinner and sightseeing. Then a shout sounded, followed by many, and bodies came rushing toward us, cameras flashing, bodies jostling and trying to get at me.

Edward held my hand tightly and I thanked God for that touch, the way he made me feel. Toby got in front of us and began shoving people back, clearing a path for us to the waiting limo. Chris was next to me, keeping anyone from touching me this time. I could see people pawing at Edward but he kept his eyes on me, acting like they weren't even there.

Questions were coming fast and furious in English, German and God knew what other languages. Of course I could only understand the English ones and I was a bit annoyed when someone asked if I was pregnant. Did I look pregnant? Did they think that was the only way that I could keep Edward with me?

Edward kept looking at me as we made our way to the limo, ignoring the questions. I kept a smile plastered on my face, taking my cue from him, trying to look confident and unaffected by the chaos around me. It took less than a minute to get the car but it felt like hours. Toby opened the door and quickly fell behind us, keeping the reporters from climbing into the limo with us. Edward helped me in first before sliding in himself, Chris following. Toby eventually got in front and our driver took off at his orders.

Edward looked out the window behind us before turning to me. "Are you okay?" he asked, his eyes boring into mine.

I was, actually. It hadn't been nearly as overwhelming this time, both because I expected it and because I had Edward and our bodyguards to keep me safe. "Much better than last time," I assured him, smiling over at Chris. "Thank you."

"Just doing my job," he replied gruffly. Edward laughed and shot me a look. We'd wondered if we could get Chris to actually speak when we went out. He was by far and away the quietest of the guards. Brian was hilarious, telling jokes and keeping things light even when we were planning security. Riley was smart and gorgeous, much to Alice's delight. Those two were talking quite a bit which made me happy. I hoped she didn't feel like a fifth wheel and I was thrilled with the way Edward and Emmett incorporated her in our lives, but I knew she had to feel a little lonely regardless. Toby was a huge ex-football player that loved to talk about working out with Emmett. They were fast friends.

Edward slid his arm around me and I relaxed against him. "You haven't told me how your conversation with your mom really went," he reminded me.

He was right and I knew we needed to talk about it but I looked over at Chris who appeared to be paying no attention to us. He was listening to something through the earpiece all our guards were wearing. "You can tell me," Edward murmured.

"It went like I thought it would go. She was completely all about you." His grip tightened on me. I tried not to let the hurt show, but of course he saw it anyway. "She actually said that she would have come to my graduation had she known you'd be there."

He winced in sympathy. "I'm so sorry, baby."

"It's okay. I expected it and she didn't let me down." At least I could count on my mother never to surprise me. I shook my head. I had to give him all of it, because it may come back to bite us sooner rather than later. "She wanted to parlay my fifteen minutes of fame, such as it is, into hers."

He looked incensed. "How?"

I sighed. He was only going to get angrier. "I don't want to tell you. It'll only make you mad."

He lightly touched my cheek. "I won't be mad at you, which is all that matters."

That's right. It wasn't my doing. I pulled back and faced him. "She said that I should try to get you to propose to me before you hooked up with your next co-star and that we could have our own reality show where we plan our wedding."

Anger, sadness and hurt all crossed his face. I knew he hurt for me. He couldn't fathom a selfish mother like mine because he had the best in Esme. "Bella, I'm so…"

I cut him off, putting my finger over his beautiful lips. He didn't get to apologize for her actions. "You can't apologize for my mother. I can't apologize for her. She is what she is and I don't think she'll change anytime soon but I told her if she wants to be part of my life, she'd better do so. I said that if she went to the press, she'd have nothing to say about me because she doesn't even know me and she really couldn't dispute that. If she doesn't show our relationship respect, she doesn't get to be a part of my life in any way, let alone be a part of yours."

He smiled at me then. "I'm so proud of you."

I giggled. "Proud of me for telling off my mom?"

Edward nodded. "Yes. She needed to hear that. If the press shows any interest in her, we'll sic Kate after her but I really don't think she can harm us in any way. Kate said that we're getting a lot of love from the press and the fans."

I laughed, remembering a similar talk with my friends. "So did Rose and Alice. They've been playing on the boards again. I refuse to read it but supposedly people want my man, my life and my clothes." They swore I was going to become a fashion icon. I told them they were nuts and I'd be going back to jeans as soon as the important photo ops were over. I liked getting dressed up sometimes, but I wasn't becoming some fashion plate.

Edward grinned at me. "Well, they are lovely clothes but you're even lovelier out of them. And they can't have me or your life; I rather like things the way they are."

I batted his chest lightly. "We do have company, you know."

Edward shrugged and gave me a boyish grin. "Can't help it, baby. You bring it out of me."

"Never change," I said, kissing him lightly. I wondered how the others were faring and if we'd done our job leading the press away so they could sneak out without incident. "Do you think they've gotten out by now?"

He shook his head. "They were going to wait about an hour, so no. But they'll be heading out soon."

The limo pulled over and I looked out the window. The street was lined with buildings that seemed to almost be part of one another. There was literally no space between them at all. There were shops and restaurants on the ground floors and what appeared to be apartments on the upper floors. Straight down the road was a beautiful looking church that was as high as some of the buildings.

"Look at that," I told Edward, pointing it out to him. "It's gorgeous."

Edward nodded and pointed out a street fair that was right nearby. I was looking forward to doing a little shopping. I'd picked him up a few things in Rome and Paris but now I'd have him with me to point out the ridiculous tourist stuff and I was totally getting him something that screamed obnoxious American tourist. We'd pick it out together now.

"Are you ready, love?" he asked, cutting through my thoughts.

I was. I was excited now to experience a real night out with my boyfriend. "Yes!" I exclaimed. Edward nodded at Chris and he spoke quietly into his headpiece. Toby opened our door and Edward climbed out, holding a hand out to me. I held his as I got out of the car. Edward gave me a reassuring smile before moving aside and standing next to me. His eyes were on me as I looked around.

The building just had me fascinated. The history they must have survived. "Look at these buildings. I bet they're really old. It's one of the coolest things about Europe, isn't it? How long everything's been around and the history behind it all. I love it."

Edward pulled me closer and released my hand, putting his arm around me. "It is really neat and I'm glad I get to share it with you, finally."

He was so right. Poor Edward. He never got see any of this. At least I'd had time to explore and see. I was thrilled that I got to be the person that he experienced this with. I threw my arms around him and kissed him with all I had, letting him know that I was excited to be with him. He grunted and tightened his arms around me, kissing me back. I could feel his happiness and I wanted nothing more than to keep him that way.

Eventually our kiss ended and Edward smiled, kissing my nose. "What was that for?" he inquired.

I took his hand back in mine. "I'm just so glad that you finally get to go out and see a little of the city beyond where you're filming and that I get to be a part of it. This is how it should be."

Edward squeezed my hand and started the two of us walking. It was then that I noticed all the cameras pointing at us and the people staring as if they'd just seen, well, a movie star kissing his girlfriend. Oops. How could I forget? Edward looked happy, though, and that was what this was about. Yes, we were giving them pictures and I'd unknowingly given them an amazing one, but we were also out to have a good time and that's what I was going to do. I was going to be me, the girl that could kiss her boyfriend when he was in a good mood and experiencing something new that made him smile. Yes, I had Toby standing on my other side, but I had Edward holding my hand and I was going to focus on him and do my best to forget all the rest.

The first shop I saw had me laughing like mad and pulling Edward over to the window. I pointed at the German hats, complete with feathers. "I should get you one of those." It was ridiculous and awesome and he needed to have one.

He grinned. "Looks like what Chevy Chase wore in National Lampoon's European Vacation." He also wore the whole getup and I just bet they had it in there. Edward shook his head quickly. "Don't you even think about it. I'm not wearing lederhosen."

Damn it. "It's not like I don't dress up for you," I pointed out, keeping my voice down in case any of the reporters had good ears.

Edward smirked. "That's different, baby. There's nothing sexy about lederhosen."

He had a point but I still had to play with him. "Says you," I told him, laughing as he poked me. "Alright, no lederhosen. But you are getting the hat." It was what I wanted anyway. I grabbed the one that was closest to the European Vacation one and plopped it on his head. I had to laugh at how ridiculously cute he was. Someone else in the store took a picture of him but Edward just grinned and took it.

I plucked the hat from his head and handed it over to the cashier, getting out my money before Edward could. "Nope, it's a present," I pointed out when he tried to pay instead.

We came out, Edward carrying his hat in a bag instead of wearing it, not surprisingly. "Some present, baby. You know what kind of present I'd like?" He steered me toward a lingerie shop featuring a mannequin wearing some black, see-through babydoll. Shocker that he wanted that present.

Time to remind him of reality. "Do you really want my father to see pictures of the two of us entering and exiting a lingerie store loaded down with packages?" I barely had the words out before Edward hauled me away toward the next store, which made me laugh my ass off. "You're too cute," I finally managed to say.

"I value my life," he said, kissing my hand. "Are you hungry?"

I tried to work up some enthusiasm for another weird meal, but I just didn't have it. I was hungry though. "Do we have to go someplace fancy?" I asked.

Edward laughed. "No, baby, you don't have to eat any weird rich people food. There's some of everything here. French, Turkish, Italian…" Italian? Yum! "Spaghetti it is," he said when saw my face. We strolled down the street and I did my best to pretend people weren't staring and taking our picture as we walked in hand in hand. We stopped in front of a tiny restaurant with some outdoor tables and a little black fence around them. The white tables had black umbrellas over them to block out the sun. "Will this do?" Edward wondered.

I loved it. "It looks perfect."

"You're just happy you can eat something you recognize," Edward pointed out, making me giggle.

I shrugged. "What can I say? I'm a simple sort of girl."

"Nothing simple about you, beautiful, except how easy it is to love you."

How could I not kiss him when he said something like that? So I did. "It's way easier to love you, trust me," I assured him.

"May I seat you, sir?" a man with an Italian accent asked Edward.

"Thank you." He took us to a table in the back, such as it was, though we were wide open. Edward pulled out my chair and I smiled at him as I slid into it. Toby and Chris took the other two chairs and pulled them behind me, sitting up against the fence, blocking us a little bit from the cameramen that were gathering and snapping away. I hoped to God I didn't spill on myself. Maybe Italian was a bad idea. I should just eat some bread, but I was too hungry.

"Esme taught you manners," I told Edward when he sat after taking care of me.

"Did you expect anything else?" he asked.

"No, you're better than I even dreamed." He was almost too good to be true, and somehow he was mine. It was mind blowing.

The guy who seated us gave us menus and offered some wine. Edward looked at me and I nodded so he picked out something. The menu was in Italian but easily understandable. Edward got a text message as we were looking it over. He nodded at me and I assumed that the others had gotten out safely.

"What are you having?" he asked as he slid his hand on my leg under the table. Incorrigible. God I loved him.

"Chicken parmesan," I announced just as our waitress came over and stopped in her tracks when she saw my boyfriend. I had to laugh at her dumbfounded expression. I couldn't blame her. I'd probably do the same thing in her place.

"You are Edward Cullen, yes?" she asked in heavily accented English.

Edward flashed her a smile. "Yes."

"I'm big fan," she told him, smiling widely. It was actually kind of sweet. I'd wondered what it would feel like to see women come up to him, but this one wasn't bothering me. Then again, she wasn't hitting on him either.

"That's great. Thank you," he replied.

"Can I get autograph?" she wondered.

"Sure, do you have a pen?" She didn't seem to know where to find one so I got one out of my purse along with my notepad that I carried everywhere. Edward took it and smiled at me.

"What's your name?" he asked her.

"Isabella." That made him smile at me and he signed it for her. She took the paper and tried to walk away without giving us the wine she held.

"Excuse me," Edward said, stopping her in her tracks. "Could we get our wine and maybe order?"

"Oh, scuzi." Poor girl. She blushed and held out the bottle, her hand shaking. She was so nervous and embarrassed that I felt for her.

Edward stood and took the bottle from her, having seen what I had. "I've got it." He poured us each a glass and set the bottle on the table before sitting down.

"What you like?" she asked me in heavily accented English. I ordered my chicken parmesan.

"Lasagna for me, thanks," Edward told her. He faced our bodyguards but they both said no. "Water?" he asked them. They said yes to that and Isabella scooted away to get our orders in. I giggled after she was out of earshot.

"What?"

"I thought she was going to hyperventilate. I hope she manages to get our order in."

Edward grinned and took my hand. "I don't care how long it takes. I'm enjoying the company immensely."

The man made me swoon. I glanced behind him and saw that every eye was on us, some with cameras, some without. It was a bit disconcerting but I was doing my best to overlook it. As long as I didn't spill on myself. "I'm glad. Did you know there are about thirty people staring at your back right now?"

Edward shook his head. "Right back at you, beautiful. Or more accurately, our bodyguard's backs."

Would things ever be normal for us? I could pretend, but it's not like I didn't notice the staring, the whispering and the pictures. "Do you really think it'll die down after this?"

He nodded. "Maybe not right away, but yeah. We'll be a pretty boring couple for them to cover, baby. No break ups, no cheating scandals, no drug problems, you don't have a penchant for shoplifting that I know of…"

He made me laugh. "I'm going to get arrested for stealing something cool, like sex toys."

He joined in my laughter. "Be sure to take Rose with you on that occasion. It'll really get them wondering about the Cullen brothers and their women."

"Count on it," I told him, grinning. Who gave a damn that there were a hundred eyes on us? I was having fun with him, damn it.

Edward played with my fingers and looked into my eyes. "Kate thinks you might get some offers after all of this."

What did that mean? "Offers? What do you mean by offers?"

"Well, kinda like what you said in the car. Reality shows or maybe a talking head on one of the tabloid shows or something."

Oh, God, I hoped he was kidding. I sneered at the very idea of that. Edward's smile flashed when he saw my reaction. "I don't want a reality show or to be on TV or anything." A look of relief crossed his face. "Do you really think they'd want that?"

Edward chuckled. "You're talking about a world in which the Kardashians, who last I checked did nothing other than be rich and date and marry rich guys, have something like ten TV shows. Yeah, I think you'll get some offers." Oh, great, I could be the next Kardashian? Why not just kill me now? Not in a billion years, no matter what my idiot mother wanted.

"Gross," I told him. "I have enough cameras on me right now, I hardly think I want to add more that follow me around on purpose. No thank you."

"It makes me insanely glad to hear that," he murmured, touching my cheek. "I'd support anything you wanted to do but I cringe at the thought of you on those Beverly Hills wives shows or whatever."

Me hanging out with those vapid bimbos? I did not think so. "Oh, God. Not in this or any other lifetime. I'd end up on _Women in Prison_ if I was forced to hang out with the women on those shows."

Edward laughed his ass off. "As long as I got conjugal visits."

"Perv," I responded, laughing with him. "And of course you would. That would be the lure for people to watch. See the celebrity come visit his girlfriend in jail."

"Girlfriend? You'd have to be my wife to be on the other show," he pointed out. I couldn't help it, my heart leapt a little at the casual way he said wife, like it was a done deal. I knew it was, in his eyes, but it still meant a lot to me.

"Or ex-wife. They seem to get a lot more of those than real wives. I wonder why," I said sarcastically. I'd divorce myself if I ever wanted to go on one of those shows.

"You'll never be my ex-wife, baby," he swore just as our food came out.

"Better not be," I pretend warned him, tempering my words with a smile. Dinner was delicious and Edward and I talked the whole way through, him updating me on his filming and me telling him about my time with the girls. Kate had fit in with us seamlessly and I loved that he had someone so amazing in his life taking care of him, of us now.

"We ordered this dress from some boutique they found online. They brought it right over." It still amazed me that the store catered to me like that. The instant they heard my name and the hotel, they must have known who I was.

Edward snickered. "Of course they did. They want to make a customer out of you. Everybody does, I'll bet. Wait until awards season; you'll have designers fighting to dress you."

They would? I couldn't comprehend it, despite what Rose and Alice said about fashion icons. That was not me. "Really? But I'm not famous."

Edward smiled. "You are and you aren't. You're with me which means the cameras will be on you, which means they'll want you wearing their stuff. Unless of course you do that reality show and leave me in the dust," he joked.

I tore off a piece of my breadstick and shoved it in his mouth to stop that nonsense. "You shut up with that crap. I don't want to be famous."

Edward nodded and chewed thoughtfully. "What do you want to be?" he asked after he swallowed.

I sighed and put down my fork. "I don't know. Being a teacher was something I'd decided on and figured I could be good at, but it wasn't something I longed to be the way that Rose wants to be a doctor or Ali wants to be a nurse. It just sort of fit for an English major. I don't know if I could be one now anyway."

He smiled. "First of all, you can be anything you want. There are plenty of private schools in our area that are loaded with children of the rich and famous. Having a teacher that was with someone famous wouldn't even cause them to bat an eyelash."

He had a point. "True. If your mom and dad are famous, I'm nobody."

He kissed my cheek. "You're never going to be a nobody, don't say that. Or you could see about doing set tutoring. Child actors need teachers too."

"I hadn't thought about that," I told him, picking up my fork and eating again while thinking it over.

"You could also be a script reader." Script reader? I looked at him to see if he was serious. "Marcus is always looking for people with taste to go through the mountains of scripts that cross his desk. We already know that you've got taste. He loved the comedy you picked out for me to do."

"He did?" Getting paid, to read? Was there honestly anything better than that?

"Yes. It was the best of the bunch, according to him. He's willing to give you a try if you want." Edward sipped his wine. "It's something you could do anywhere," he added.

Anywhere? As in anywhere that he was, so we didn't have to spend months apart ever again? And I could work and not just be Edward Cullen's girl? "So I could be in London, with you, getting paid to read, which I love?"

He laughed lightly. "That about sums it up."

"I love it!" I threw my arms around him and he laughed and squeezed me. I heard the clicks and saw the flashes but I just didn't care. I was so happy. I released him and grinned. "When can I talk to him?"

Edward smiled back at me. "Whenever you like, baby. We'll call him tomorrow if you want and have him send over his test scripts."

"Test scripts?" He went on to tell me that he'd have me read several scripts and point out the bad one, the one that needed work and the good one and give my feedback and thoughts on each of them. That was easy. I was full of opinions. "I can totally do that. It wouldn't be hard."

It was awesome. Too good to be true. Then it hit me that I'd never get a chance at this job it wasn't for him. "What?" Edward asked, seeing something in my expression.

"Would he only be hiring me because I was your girlfriend? I don't want…"

He held up a hand. "He won't hire anybody that can't do the job. I'm not going to lie; dating me probably helps you get your name higher on the list of potential candidates, but if you get the job, it's going to be on your merit, not as a favor to me."

Nepotism. Was it wrong, in this case? "I don't know," I murmured, shaking my head. "What if I'm taking a job from someone more qualified?"

Edward chuckled. "More qualified to read scripts? It's not about schooling or qualifications. It's about taste and instincts. They'll take the same tests that you do. Marcus has hired people that just graduated from high school over people with Master's degrees before. You have to have the right eye. I think you do. He's willing to see if you do." He trailed his fingers through my hair. "In Hollywood, it's all about who you know. There are few people in that town who haven't gotten a leg up that way. My mom got me started, after all."

He was right. Everybody had contacts and connections, right? And I'd damn well be the best script reader Marcus ever had. "True," I decided, smiling a little. Edward grinned at me and made me smile all the way. "Okay, well, you've given me some options and I must admit, the Marcus angle sounds good to me. Maybe I can talk to him and set something up."

"Absolutely," he agreed. "For purely selfish reasons, I hoped you'd lean toward that choice. But you can do whatever you want, including nothing at all." I wrinkled my nose and made him laugh. "I know, that's not an option."

No, it certainly wasn't. "I'm aware that I'll never be on equal footing with you, financially, but that doesn't mean I'm just going to sit around with my feet up lounging at the pool all day while you work your ass off."

He squeezed my hand. "I know, baby. I love that about you. Although I do hope you lounge at the pool now and then in some barely there bikini."

That was my man. I had to laugh. "You're incorrigible."

"See? You use cool words like incorrigible. The job is totally yours."

I giggled. "You're such a dork."

"And you love me," he pointed out, like that was even a question.

He was too cute. "I do," I agreed, leaning forward and kissing him. He moaned into my mouth and slipped his arms around me.

"Back off," Toby warned. Edward and I both turned and saw him intimidating the hell out of some guy that was pressed right up against the gates. "Sir?" he asked.

Edward looked at me. "Ready to go, baby?"

I was. Time to get on the move again. At least it felt like less eyes directly on us when we were walking. Edward got our check and paid, and then Chris led us out, Toby walking behind us. There were a ton of people gathered along the gate, cameras and phones at the ready. I kept my head up and my hand in his and just pretended that they weren't there.

Night started to fall and we wandered into a few more shops. I got Edward an awesome beer glass shaped like a boot when he wouldn't let me buy him a stein because they were too expensive. The glass was as ridiculous as the hat and he had to have it. He bought me a gorgeous German Cuckoo clock that I fell in love with. It looked like a tree house and had pine cones and a pine tree. I could tell he wasn't too thrilled with a clock that made noise but he got it for me anyway, because he loved me. I didn't need to hear it chirp, I just loved how pretty it was.

Several people got up the nerve to approach us both on the street and in the stores. Edward always signed autographs and took pictures. He didn't even seem to notice when a couple of the females were more than a little too into him, much to my utter joy. I knew he'd never cheat on me but to not even acknowledge or seem aware of the flirting was pretty awesome. Cameras captured our every move but we both just ignored them and had fun shopping and teasing one another with silly potential presents. Being out with him, having fun like this was worth the bit of aggravation that the press brought. I hadn't been sure if it would be before we came out, but now I had no regrets.

It was getting dark and I knew we needed to head back soon but I wanted to see the church. "Can we go see the church before we leave?" I asked.

"We can see if it's open," he responded. We walked to it and I admired the way the windows were lit up. It probably was open, but I didn't feel the need to go inside. I felt so small next to the huge structure. "St. Augustinus Church," Edward read from the plaque. "1927."

It was old, but not that old. "Not as old as I thought, but it's amazing," I observed. There were several people watching us from beyond the church gate and I grinned at Edward. "I bet they wonder if we're sneaking in to get married."

He chuckled as he wrapped his arms around me. "Would you want to?"

Holy shit! Was he serious? "What?" I demanded.

Edward smiled. "I didn't mean now, baby. I just wondered if you'd like to get married someplace like this."

"Oh." I didn't know whether to be relieved or upset. If he asked me to marry him, today, tomorrow, three years from now, I would say yes. I didn't think we were ready to get married quite yet, but I still wanted him to want to marry me if that made sense. Oh yeah, he'd asked me a question. "No. I wouldn't want it to be some kind of sideshow where we're ducking the press and stuff." There was one place I really wanted to get married. "I'd want to get married at our cabin."

"Really?" he asked, smiling widely.

"That's where you told me you loved me and that I was your _one._ I can't think of anyplace better." And it was ours. Our place.

He looked thrilled. "Sounds perfect to me, love."

We watched the church in silence for a few minutes and then I turned to him. "Let's go home, or where home will be for the next couple of months."

"Sounds good to me." He led me out of the church doorway and Chris and Toby moved beside us. More pictures were snapped as we headed to the car, but I had to admit, it wasn't bothering me as much as I'd thought it would. And hopefully these pictures would hit the web and the magazines and people would be bored with us soon. We got into the car and I leaned against Edward. He ran his hand absently up and down my arm as he sent a text to let Emmet know we were on the way.

"I just realized that we need to get food."

Food? Oh yeah, for the apartment. "You just realized that? It's taken care of. I made a list and Garrett was going to have everything we needed there. We'll be fine."

"But you shouldn't have to cook on vacation, baby."

I looked at him. "I'm sure we'll eat out plenty, but I love to cook. I'm looking forward to playing in that fancy kitchen that Garrett assures me has everything we could possibly need. And I can't wait to cook for you again." I loved making dinner for him at the cabin.

He kissed me. "It feels like it's all coming together, doesn't it? Like we're finally going to be all the way together. Everybody knows about you, we're living together, you're going to work with Marcus, maybe," he added, just as I was going to remind him that wasn't a done deal until I proved myself.

"It's exciting," I admitted. "Even though there will be other people around, it'll feel more like we're together at home."

He chuckled. "There are other people at home. Emmett."

Yes, Emmett and probably Rose when things got figured out. "True. So it'll be just like home, with bodyguards. I'm going to have to cook a lot." I smiled over at Chris. "You may not want to eat when we're out but you're damn well going to eat when we're in," I told him.

He smiled. "Okay, Miss Swan."

"Good." I was glad he agreed with me. We arrived at the hotel and I noticed there were very few photographers, although a few came forward as we stepped out. The boys took their positions and led us into the hotel, but it wasn't nearly as bad as exiting had been. We walked through the lobby and instead of going to the elevators, walked toward the back exit.

Toby looked out and then gestured us to go ahead. Edward and I hurried into the SUV and Chris got in back with us while Toby got up front with Emmett. Em turned to grin at us. "Ready to go, lovebirds?"

"Take us home, Em," Edward said. He drove the back way out and we headed to our new temporary home.

"I love you," Edward whispered. I smiled, as I always would when he said those words. He leaned closer to my ear. "I would have married you in that church if you wanted to."

I knew he would, but I loved hearing it. "I love you, too," I whispered back. "I'll say yes when you really ask."

"I know," he said, smiling smugly.

I giggled. "Gotta get that reality show, after all."

He tickled me and I screeched and wiggled. "Hey, cut it out back there, you two. No distracting the driver!" Emmett scolded.

"Right, Em," Edward agreed. He pointed at me. "I've got some reality for you as soon as we get to our room."

My favorite. "Our reality is the best kind," I said, curling into him.

He held me. "I'm going to make all your dreams a reality, Bella."

"You already have." And I knew, without a doubt, he always would. I was the luckiest girl on earth and I'd never forget that, no matter how many people took my picture, or got in our faces. He was worth it. We were worth it. And that was all that mattered.


	58. He's Only Seventeen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an extra, a new POV that many wanted!

APOV

It was really weird being back here alone. I looked around the apartment I'd shared with Bella and Rose for the past three years and felt the familiar sting of tears, which I rapidly blinked away. No, I wasn't going to cry today and I certainly wasn't going to cry over this. My best friends had found their other halves and were moving forward with their lives and so was I, albeit I was going it alone while they'd found their soul mates.

I wasn't going to begrudge them their happiness. We all had good things going on, after all. My job started next week, didn't it? And it wasn't like I was going to be alone for long. Rose and Emmett would be here in a few weeks. Yeah, it was just temporary, but it was something. I was just feeling sad and lonely because I'd had to leave Berlin early in order to be back in time to start work. Of course, I'd thought Rose and Bella would return a couple weeks later, but I should have known better. Bella and Edward weren't going to survive months at a time without each other. Just one month had been hard enough on both of them. I had to admit that Rose surprised me, though. Who would have thought she'd postpone medical school and transfer to UCLA for Emmett?

It was just so unexpected for Rose to chuck her plans for a man, but I guess that goes to show that love requires compromise. That was probably why it had eluded me for twenty-two years and counting. God, nearly twenty-three. Whatever. It wasn't like I'd ever wanted to settle down this early or anything, it was just hard to watch your friends be so head over heels and not be a part of that. I hadn't really known what I was missing until I saw them fall so hard and fast. Or maybe I knew because…no, I wasn't going there. Not today.

I glanced at the clock and saw that I still had an hour. Why had I gotten ready so early? It was because I was nervous. I was never nervous, damn it, and I wasn't going to be today. Maybe I should call the girls. No, it was ten PM in Berlin and they'd be wrapped around their men by now.

God, who could believe it, really? Just over five months ago we were all in this room watching Edward on TV and hearing that he played _Words with Friends._ It was totally my idea to try to find him using the game, but of course Bella was the one that found him against all odds and then against even greater ones she'd gotten him to fall in love with her. I wasn't jealous about that anymore. I could honestly say that she and Edward belonged together. I certainly wasn't surprised about Rose and Emmett, though. Rose could have anything she put her mind to. Had Bella not met Edward and through that Rose met Emmett, she would have stalked him down and taken him. There was no doubt in my mind.

Just for today I wish I had her balls. I didn't take shit, that was for sure, but Rose happily stirred it up and came out smelling like a, well, rose. She'd gotten Jessica thrown into rehab and leaked the story to _TMZ,_ hadn't she? Then she'd gotten Mike Newton of all people to discount her story about crazy Bella the Unabomber. None of us had any idea Jess had made a move on Tyler and that he'd rejected her. Mike had been all too happy to help Bella in some way. I was pretty sure he knew by now that he didn't stand a chance with her but it was hard to say at this point. If Jess knew Rose was the one that ratted her out, there was nothing she could do about it. And frankly, when she got out of rehab she'd better stay underground or she'd get her ass kicked by both of us. Sidekick my ass. I hadn't forgotten. I was nobody's sidekick, thank you very much.

I was a fifth wheel, perhaps, but I had to admit that they'd never made me feel that way. They included me in everything short of their bedroom activities which I very much didn't want to be part of no matter what Emmett said. I was pretty sure he'd never joke about threesomes again after Rose got done doing whatever it was she did to him in the privacy of their bedroom. Gross. They were freaks, but they fit together well. All of them did.

Maybe I should have taken Edward up on his offer to send Riley with me. It wasn't like I missed him, or anything, it was just that I wasn't used to being alone. Of course it would be kind of awkward if he was here today, but it wasn't like we'd slept together or anything. We'd just had a little fun. No harm, no foul. It wasn't like I could hook up with random German guys and bring them back to the penthouse, after all. Why did I feel so guilty? I had nothing to feel guilty about. I didn't have a boyfriend. I just had a…whatever he was.

Jasper. Never before had anyone gotten under my skin and stayed there the way he had. Yeah, Jared and I had screwed around for a couple of years but when we weren't together, I didn't give him much of a thought. Not like I did with Jasper. I reached for my phone first thing in the morning and looked at it right before bed. And countless times in between the two. The night he'd gone to prom with that other girl, I'd gotten shitfaced with the girls and Rose had confiscated my phone at my request so I wouldn't call him and tell him how insanely jealous I was and that I wanted to kick his date's ass. Me! Jealous of a prom date! What in the hell was wrong with me?

He was seventeen. He lived with his parents and probably got zits and felt up girls in the back of his car instead of in a bed like any self-respecting college man did and damn it, I wanted to be the girl he felt up in the car. I wanted to be the girl he sent stolen poems to and held hands with and made love to in a meadow of flowers. Jasper was romantic and idealistic and probably not nearly jaded enough for me. I'd corrupt him given half the chance. And now I had it.

I couldn't believe he was here. He was at my school, taking a tour and deciding if he wanted to attend next year. He was doing it for me. I couldn't pretend any different and when I tried, when I told him that UW did have one of the best biology departments in the country, he laughed and told me he didn't care what they were ranked, he was coming to be close to me. It was both terrifying and thrilling.

So, I was going to meet with him and we'd see. Really, I was going to try to dissuade him from making any life choices based on where I was. I was entirely too old for him right now and college was too important for him to base on a woman. Any woman, not just me. He was so confident that we'd be together, no matter what I said about our age differences and friendship and him needing to experience college the same way I had, having a good time, not getting tied down, screwing whoever tickled his fancy. Okay, telling him that last part made me sick, but I was right, damn it. He needed to live before he decided that I was the one for him. He couldn't possibly know, not when I didn't know a damn thing.

Damn, I wish Bella and Rose were here. Bella would calm me down, tell me that I was freaking out over nothing, that Jasper and I had been talking for months now and I had nothing to be afraid of. Rose would tell me to fuck him and turn him into a real man. God, I missed them. They didn't even know he was coming. I hadn't told them. I wanted to, but I feared Emmett would find out and tease me mercilessly. I picked up the green jasper pendant he'd bought me when we'd all gone to Prague for a long weekend. I'd pretended to be pissed, of course, but I seriously loved it.

It was time. I was meeting him the quad, ostensibly because it was good to meet someone for the first time in a public place in case they were a serial killer, not that I imagined it would stop a serial killer to meet publicly. Really, I was doing it because I was scared to be alone with him in my apartment. I wanted him. At least I thought I wanted him. I wanted the idea of him. Would I want the reality of him? I didn't know, but better safe than sorry. Or better safe than on _To Catch a Predator,_ as Emmett would say. I hated him, and I missed him. Three weeks and he and Rose would be here. I'd see him soon. God, my head was screwed up. I couldn't even settle on disliking Emmett. For every time he gave me shit, he did something sweet. He drove me nuts.

Alright, here we go. Just walk out that door, and walk to the quad. Easy as can be. Very few students are back yet, so I don't have to worry about running into anybody I know, thank God. They'd probably wonder if my little brother was in town. Seventeen. Why did he have to be seventeen? He wouldn't even be eighteen for another few months. God, this sucked.

There it was, our meeting place, right outside of the library. I used to meet Bella here all the time. I couldn't believe I wouldn't see her here again, unless she came for a visit or something. But who the hell wanted that? When I saw her next, it damn well better be in Hollywood where I would be surrounded by rich, fabulous actors who all looked at me the way that Edward looked at her. Or maybe at a movie premiere in London, with all of us looking fabulous in designer dresses and the boys in Armani suits. Colin Firth, who was nowhere near seventeen, would take one look at me and leave his wife in the dust. It would be amazing. There was just no room for someone Jasper's age in that scenario. He'd probably get sent to hang out with Edward's teenage girl fans, where he'd meet the true love of his life and forget all about the old hag that he thought he had real feelings…

"Alice."

I knew that voice as well as I knew my own. He managed to make my name sound like southern comfort, however that sounded. I turned and nearly swallowed my tongue at the sight of him. He didn't look seventeen. He looked tall, handsome and dangerous. Oh, so fucking dangerous. His blond hair glinted in the sun. He wore it a little longer than I preferred, but I found myself itching to run my fingers through it. He had bright blue eyes that stared straight into my soul out of a perfect face. Maybe there, just in his cheeks, he looked seventeen. He looked soft and untouched, except those eyes of his. They invited touching and a hell of a lot more. Damn.

He was really tall. If I was standing, he'd have at least a foot on me. He wore a blue t-shirt that stretched over a body that was way too good for a seventeen year old. He had a damn wide chest that I wanted to explore with my hands and my tongue. And jeans. Jesus, the boy could wear a pair of jeans. I was dying for him to turn around so I could check out his ass.

I should probably stop staring at him and talk or something. Look at that smile. Look at the way his eyes sparkle, like he's amused at my reaction to him. Where's my sweet poet? He looks more like the rugged cowboy that I imagined taking me on the bear skinned rug. Did he own a bear skinned rug? Why was I thinking about that? Because he was uber hot, that's why. Seventeen. He's seventeen. Do not forget it.

"Jasper," I finally managed to say, giving him my best smile, or what I hoped was my best smile and not a grimace because I was thinking thoughts I should not be thinking.

"It's very nice to meet you," he drawled quietly, and I swear to God his hand went to his head as if he expected to have on a cowboy hat and tip it at me, just like they did in the movies. Edward did it in his rodeo movie and I was pretty sure I had a mini-orgasm in the theater. That was okay, though, because it was before Bella technically knew him. I didn't want to have a mini-orgasm now, though. I wanted to have a big long one where I saw stars and screamed Jasper's name as he drove me up over and over. Seventeen! Stop!

I needed one of those cattle prods or something, so I could shock myself whenever my mind wandered to very dangerous places. Maybe Jasper had one. He probably had all kinds of interesting ranch things like rope and stirrups and saddles and crap. I was thinking like Rose. Enough!

"It's nice to meet you, too." I didn't know what I should do now. Hug him? No, that would probably be a bad thing. A very good, bad thing, but a bad thing all the same. Should I stand? Should I stay seated? Should I ask him to come home with me so I could show him my riding technique? Bad Alice.

His smile flashed. Shit. I was going to need new panties. I may or may not be wearing my sexiest pair of black lace cheekies underneath my innocent pink sundress. The pink he could see, the pink was safe. The black was to make me feel powerful and remind myself that I was a woman. A woman who should not be thinking sexy thoughts about a seventeen year old.

His hand came toward me and I couldn't help but notice he had long fingers. Long fingers were never a bad thing. They were wrapped around something and I looked up and saw that he was holding a single sunflower out to me. I felt myself smiling as I reached for it. His fingers brushed mine and I felt that simple touch all the way down to my toes. What in the hell was that?

"Thank you," I murmured, smiling at the pretty, happy flower. I love sunflowers, but I don't remember ever telling him that. "How did you know?" I asked.

He chuckled as he sat across from me at the table, his knees brushing against mine, the fabric of his jeans rough against my bare skin. I bit back a groan.

He smiled again. Lethal, that's what he was. "It made me think of you," he replied. "It's bright, beautiful and bigger than a flower ought to be."

Good God, that voice. "I'm not big," I pointed out unnecessarily. Surely he could see how tiny I was.

He laughed and I shivered at the deep, sexy sound. "Well, you are a tidy little package, I admit, but you're larger than life to me." He reached out and I didn't move as his fingers moved over my cheek. "A sunflower stands for adoration. I thought it was fitting."

Adoration? He adored me? He was crazy. He was crazy and beautiful and perfect. Well, except for one small thing. His stupid age.

"Where do you get these things?" I wondered.

That slow, sexy smile flashed again. "Well, we do have more in Texas than just ranches and cows, sweet Alice. You already know I like to read."

"Poetry," I murmured, remembering all the wonderful words he sent to me.

"Only since I met you," he told me, shaking his head. "I didn't have the right words to say to you, so I had to borrow someone else's."

My heart melted at the picture I had of him scouring for poems to send me. "You had plenty of pretty words for me, Jasper."

His eyes flashed with some emotion I couldn't name. "They weren't enough for you."

No, you sweet boy. "They were more than enough. They were too much. I couldn't…" I broke off, because if I said it, he'd never let me go. I didn't want him to let me go. But he should.

"You couldn't what?" He took my left hand and held it in his. He was so warm. He was like the sunflower, not me.

"I couldn't stop thinking about you, even when I tried to," I admitted. He smiled again, a look of relief on his face. "I want to, though. I _have_ to," I added.

His smile faded and his grip on my hand tightened. "Why?" he demanded. "You feel the same way I do, Alice. I can see it in your eyes. I can hear it in your voice. I knew it before I came here. I wouldn't be here if I didn't."

Why did he have to read me so well? It wasn't right. "Because you're too young, Jasper." My words sounded foolish to my own ears and judging from the look on his face, he felt the same way.

"Too young for what, Alice? Too young to know my own heart? Too young to know yours? Because I do know it. I've spent hours, days, months getting to know you and I don't understand why you're letting something as ridiculous as a number stop us."

My heart was pounding in my chest. Did he know that, too? Probably. "It's not your age, exactly…" I started. His face showed his complete disbelief for what I was saying. "It's not! I admit that I hate your age, but it's not the number, it's the experience."

"Experience," he said, leaning back in his seat. "Just what do you mean by experience?" Wasn't it obvious? "Are you talking about sex?" he asked suddenly, making me sputter in surprise.

"What? No!" Not exactly.

"You are." Those gorgeous eyes of his burned bright and narrowed in anger. Good God, he was beautiful when he was angry. "Tell me, Alice." He leaned forward now, that handsome face of his unbelievably close to mine. I could lean forward just an inch and have my lips on his. I wanted it more than I wanted anything. "Tell me how many girls I have to _fuck_ before I'm deemed experienced enough in your eyes."

I recoiled in surprise. He couldn't have shocked me more if he'd smacked me in the face. My Jasper didn't use words like fuck. He talked about making love. "What?" I asked, dazed. Part of me was turned on that he would use that word, not gonna lie. Another part of me hated the thought of him fucking anybody that wasn't me.

"I asked just how many girls I have to fuck before I apparently know that you're the only girl I want. Two? Five? Ten? Please tell me so I can get right on that." Sarcasm. The boy could rock the sarcasm. At least I hoped that's what it was. Because I was getting really angry at the thought of him fucking any girls, let alone ten.

"I wasn't saying that!" I protested. "I meant life experiences."

Those blue lasers honed in on me. He was hypnotic. "What experiences?"

I shifted uncomfortably in his gaze. "Like, college."

He smirked. "I'm planning to go to college. That would be why I spent the morning touring this campus with my parents."

God, his parents were here. I couldn't take him home and ravage him, they'd totally have me arrested and Emmett would never let me hear the end of it. "Yes, but you don't want a girlfriend while you're in college."

He chuckled. "And why not?" he asked. "Why wouldn't I?"

He was twisting me all up and making it hard to make my point by bringing up sex and talking about fucking. He turned me all around and I didn't know what to do about it. "Because you should be free to have fun in college. You don't need someone tying you down. What happens when you meet a really great girl that you want to go out with?" I'd kick her in the teeth, that's what would happen.

"Alice, do you even believe a word you're saying?" he asked, smiling again.

"Yes!" He raised an eyebrow. "No!" The smirk appeared again. "I don't know what I mean. It all made perfect sense until…" Until he came here and was beautiful and made me feel things that nobody else ever made me feel before.

"Until what?" he prompted.

"Until I saw you!" I threw up the hand he wasn't holding, lifting my sunflower into the air. "I knew you were gorgeous, obviously, but I figured I could ignore that and convince you that you needed to live life a little before we thought about any of this."

"Any of what?" he asked, tilting his head, smiling that beautiful smile.

"This! You and me and this idea of us being together! It's crazy!" I wanted to be crazy. I wanted to be wild and crazy and not adult about this.

"Is it any crazier than your friend Bella meeting Edward Cullen the same way we met and them falling in love?"

Was anything crazier than that? "No."

"Is it any crazier than Emmett and Rose fighting and getting arrested and loving it?"

I told him entirely too much about my friends. He wasn't supposed to use them against me. "Nobody's crazier than Emmett and Rose," I admitted.

"Things are working out pretty well for them, aren't they?" he asked, being all logical and annoying.

"You know they are," I muttered.

"Well then." He smiled triumphantly. Damn him.

"They've already done college," I said, grasping at straws.

"So I'll learn everything that I need to know in college and then I'll be good enough for you?" he asked, suddenly looking very serious.

What? No! "Good enough for me? Jasper, you're already too good for me. I don't know if I'd be good for you."

He twisted our fingers together. "Why do you say that?"

Jesus, how do I explain it? "I could limit you. You don't know what college is like. What if you come here, for me, and then you want out? Or, because you're such a good guy, you just stay with me out of a sense of obligation, because you don't want to hurt me. I would hate myself if I ruined your life."

Jasper reached over and touched my cheek. It felt like every nerve in my body was attached to that spot. "You could never ruin my life, Alice. Never." His eyes burned into mine. "I can't give you guarantees, but I honestly don't think I need to. You feel the same thing I do right now. I know you do. And it won't matter if I go to school here or in Texas. I'm not going to love you any less." Love? He loved me?

He laughed at my reaction. "I can see by the look on your face you didn't expect me to say that. Is it because you don't feel it, or because you aren't ready to say it out loud?"

He was here, in front of me, laying it all on the line and yes, I was scared to say it out loud because it was insane. It was crazy. It was just like Bella and Edward and Emmett and Rose. "You can't…"

"Don't tell me I can't know that I love you," he interrupted, angry and hot all over again. "I've known for months. And don't tell me that I need to get older and experience life to know what I want. I know. If you don't know, that's fine. I'll walk away and I'll live my life and wait for you to come to me. Because you will, Alice. It'd be a hell of a lot easier if you let me come to you, like I am, but I know that you're stubborn. Do you really want to wait it out, be alone, wondering who or what I'm doing, or do you want to be who I'm with?"

He was right. I would. I would go to him, hat in hand or whatever people in Texas did, and beg him to take me. Would I last a year? Five? I didn't know, but I did know there wasn't anyone else for me. "I wasn't going to say you can't know."

"What were you going to say?" he asked.

I steeled myself to be honest. "You can't just come here because of me." I shot him a look when he started to talk. "I mean it. You have to actually want to be here."

His hand tightened on mine. "I do."

Yes. Yes he did. Because of me, probably, but he wanted to be here. "You have to stay in your dorm room on weeknights."

That slow, sexy smile spread across his face. "All weeknights?" he asked, bringing my hand to his lips and brushing them across my knuckles. Dear God, I was going to have an orgasm before he even properly kissed me. Take that Cowboy Edward.

"It's negotiable," I said. There may be some special occasion, after all. Like it could be a sunny Monday. Or a rainy Tuesday. Things happened. You had to be flexible with schedules.

"Good. What else?"

"You won't _fuck_ anybody." I said it with the same inflection he had when he shocked me with it earlier.

"Anybody?" he asked before nibbling on my middle knuckle. Jesus. I'm so going to jail.

"For now." Was he sulking? God he was cute. "We'll start with making love, when we're ready. We have to work up to fucking," I added. His jaw dropped and I laughed. Finally, for the first time since I'd laid eyes on him, I had the upper hand.

"I can work with that," he agreed eagerly.

I giggled at his suddenly agreeable manner. "And I have one final stipulation."

"What would that be?" he drawled.

"I'm not buying you beer."

He threw back his head and laughed. "I can work with that. You do drive a hard bargain, though."

"Damn right I do. I'll kick your ass if we fuck this up."

"We won't, Alice. You know we can't." I did. I was so sure of him and I had no idea how the hell it happened.

"I think you should major in psychology," I told him.

He laughed and got to his feet, still holding my hand as he walked around the table and stood before me. He pulled me up and my heart started pounding again. This was it. Finally. He lifted me so that I stood on the bench and was actually a little taller than him, but not much. "You're strong," I murmured, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Ranch muscles," he said, touching my face. His eyes were watching me, as if he was memorizing the moment. I knew I was. "Can I kiss you now, Alice?" he asked, smiling sweetly, looking almost shy.

There was the boy who sent me the poems. He was such a mix of sexy man and sweet boy and it was way too much for me to resist. "Yes," I whispered. I tilted my head toward him and his hand moved behind my neck, into my hair as he slowly pulled me in. His mouth touched mine, just a soft brush of lips. I gasped at the sensation that blasted through me. He laughed softly and kissed me again, a little harder.

I dropped my flower and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him in. His mouth opened to mine then and I sucked on his sexy bottom lip. He moaned and deepened the kiss further, his tongue sliding into my mouth. Maybe I was wrong. I was the inexperienced one. Kissing never felt like this. I don't know how long we stood and made out in the middle the quad but I knew I didn't want to stop when he finally pulled back and grasped my waist.

"We best stop now or I won't be able to make it until January," he murmured, resting his head on my chest. I played with that too long, silky hair of his for a moment before his words penetrated.

"January?" I asked, confused.

He smiled up at me. "I'm on track to graduate early. I'll be coming to school in January."

"Five months?" I asked, not even trying to hide my smile.

"Yes'm," he agreed. "I take it that makes you happy?"

"Very." We wouldn't have to be apart for too long. Any amount of time sucked, but a year was a hell of a lot worse than five months.

"Good. Now, will you let me take you to dinner?"

"Happily," I told him as he lowered me to the ground and handed me my flower again.

"I'll get dinner, you get drinks," he told me, laughing when I elbowed him. He slipped an arm around me and pulled me into his side. It felt right there. Everything with him felt right. "Are you really going to let us put the age thing to rest?" he asked as we started to walk toward the student union.

I had to be honest. "I might have moments where it bugs me," I admitted. He nodded but didn't look mad, which was good. "But I can live with being a cougar for you."

He laughed and stopped, turning to kiss me again. "And I'll happily be your boy toy. Do you want to play with me?"

Dear God. More than he could possibly know. "Not while your parents are in town," I told him, making him laugh. "And preferably not until you're eighteen. That just sounds a little better."

Much to my relief, Jasper laughed again. "I guess I'm going to have to fly up in November, to explore again before I commit to it." We both knew he wasn't talking about the campus.

"Oh, you're committing to it even without the exploration," I responded.

"Yes, I am." He smiled at me. "I love you, Alice."

There they were. He'd said it before, but not like this. I was going to give the words back to him. I felt them and had for much longer than I was willing to admit. "I love you, too, Jasper." We kissed right there in the middle of the grass and it felt completely right. I couldn't resist him anymore. I guess I was going to have to let Emmett buy me those CougarTown DVD's. It was totally worth it. Maybe my happily ever after was a bit different from that of my friends', but it was mine and I wouldn't want anything else.


	59. The Magic Words

"Are you ready, Bella?" he called from the bedroom. No, I was not ready. I was petrified. Okay, maybe not petrified but I was definitely on edge. It was my first red carpet, it was the Golden Globes and he was nominated. It would be so much easier if he was just another face in the crowd. Well, that was just ridiculous. He'd never be that.

I looked myself over again critically. My dress kicked ass. It was another Gucci dress, this time red and clingy with little spaghetti straps. It was simple and sexy and me. Or that's what Rose, Alice, Jane and Kate had all assured me when we'd gone shopping. Gucci practically begged to dress me due to the picture of me in their white dress the night Edward and I were outed. It was a heady thing, being courted by major designers.

"Just about," I told him, though it was a lie. Maybe I should have done something with my hair. I had it in loose curls that fell over my shoulders. It was simple, like the dress. Maybe the hair should be fancy to offset the simple dress? Oh, God, was I going to be ripped apart by Joan Rivers and Kelly Osbourne of all people on their fashion show? The things I had to think about now were amazing.

It wasn't my first formal party with Edward. He'd taken me to some fancy dinners and premieres since we got home in December. Home. It was amazing that I could already think of this place as home, wasn't it? Washington had been my home all my life and I'd only lived here for just over two months, but it fit. I fit, somehow.

My job was a dream come true. Once I got over the whole nepotism thing, everything just fell into place. Marcus was a great boss even if he took joy in firing me messages at random hours of the day and night asking for script changes and suggestions. Yes, somehow or other I'd impressed him enough with my comments that I was now editing, or at least making suggestions on changes, most of which happened. I couldn't be happier professionally.

Or personally, for that matter. Edward and I just fit. Berlin had been a blast with him, Emmett and the girls and London had been a dream with just the two of us. Okay, and Toby and Riley who'd stayed on in bodyguard capacity, but we'd had plenty of alone time when he wasn't working. Emmett and Rose had returned to Washington for a few weeks to pack us up, help Alice move into a new apartment and visit Jessica in rehab. Rose was nothing but a ballsy bitch. I didn't think Jess would speak up again after Mike's discounting of her stories about me. And his revelation that she'd made a play for Tyler and been shot down. At least now I knew why she hated me enough to embarrass me like that.

My makeup looked good. It better for what I paid for it. But did it look red carpet? Should it be darker? Of course it would be sunny out when we got there. Gah, this sucked. I wouldn't be remotely this worked up if she wasn't going to be there. Edward deserved his nomination for Wild at Heart but Irina? She just basked in his wonderful performance. Bitch. Yeah, I still hated her. It was going to be the first time we set eyes on one another in person so of course I wanted to look my best.

I wish Alice could have flown down, but at least she'd been there for the dress shopping. I was amazed, and extremely thrilled, that she was giving her relationship with Jasper a chance. He made her happy, which was all that mattered.

Everybody was paired up now, a couple even thanks to me. At least I would have one friendly face at the show tonight. Jane was going to be there with Colin. I'd been half joking when she suggested that I find her a nice guy and I told her about him. I suggested him mostly because Edward rocked a hilarious pouty face on the rare occasions that he came up. But Jane had told me to give her his number and they started talking and met and that was that. She was happy and Demetri had been dumped for some producer that was probably three times older than Renata so all was right in her world.

I was going to be on TV tonight. Yeah, I was on plenty these days, mostly just random pictures of Edward and me somewhere, but this felt like a bigger deal since I'd probably have to answer questions again. At least about what I was wearing, as was the question du jour at these shows. I'd gotten used to it, mostly. We didn't need the bodyguards anymore, people were used to seeing me and like Edward had predicted, other news had come along to take us off the front page. Thanks Brangelina! And that would be the only time I would probably ever think that, but I did appreciate normalcy, or the closest thing to it.

Interest in my life had died down quickly after all the early press we did, and after my father had one nosy reporter who'd been lurking on his property thrown in jail. Renee had tried for some attention but Esme and Kate had worked their magic and squashed her attempts to get reality shows and whatever else she had in mind. And I was officially done with her. She'd had her chance and she'd chosen. I had Esme and Sue who were far better mothers than Renee could ever hope to be.

Maybe I should call Rose. She could reassure me that I looked good and pump me up for facing Irina. Of course, she'd told me to punch her out right on the red carpet so maybe I shouldn't turn to her. I missed her, though. The four of us had lived together for a couple weeks but Rose decided it felt too much like college and she and Emmett needed their own space. They bought a house only two blocks away, at least, but I missed seeing her daily. School was keeping her really busy these days. And she'd probably yell at me if I called for affirmation and interrupted her studies.

I'm ready. And I can do this. I took a calming breath and turned away from the mirror, heading out into the bedroom. I stopped at the sight before me. God, he was gorgeous. Edward Cullen in a tuxedo was enough to fry every circuit in my brain, no lie. He was still too thin for my liking, but Alec and I were doing our combined best to bulk him back up. The weight he'd lost to do his drug addict movie for HBO had kind of freaked me out. I didn't like watching him put himself through that. Alec was whipping him back into shape, though, and I was fattening him up with good, healthy food. He was still too thin but he was damn ripped. Sexy. And now he was in a tux and I had to keep my hands off him for hours. This was going to be difficult.

"Baby, aren't you…" he broke off as he turned around and caught sight of me smiling at him. "Bella," he whispered after a few moments of silence with his eyes devouring me. Apparently the dress was a hit.

"You like?" I asked, gesturing to myself, even though I could read the answer in the look on his face.

"You're stunning, baby. I'm not sure that we should go anywhere with you looking like that."

And just like that, all my nerves over the evening vanished. If I could make a man that looked like my man practically drool at the sight of me, I was doing alright. "You better take me somewhere, Cullen. I didn't spend hours getting rubbed down and gussied up just to sit around and eat pizza with you." Not that being pampered at a spa was a hardship, mind you, but it had been chaotic with all the women and even some men getting ready for tonight.

He laughed and came over to me, taking my hand and tugging me closer to him. "Don't knock eating pizza in evening wear until you try it, love." I laughed as his fingers traced over my shoulders. "Can I kiss you or will I ruin the masterpiece?"

I wasn't so much worried about my face as I was my self control when it came to him. So I simply brushed his lips with mine and pulled away even as he grabbed at me. "That's plenty for now." He gave me that adorable pout which made it so hard to behave. "Are you ready?" I asked, trying to remind him we had places to be other than our extremely comfortable, awesome new bed.

He looked a little pale. Was he nervous? "Just about," he replied.

"Does the suit fit okay?" I touched his lapels and smoothed the material over his shoulders. Armani. He was made to wear it.

He smiled at me. "Yes, it does. I gained another pound, you know."

It wasn't nearly enough. "It's still not enough. I'll make some pasta tomorrow." I knew he preferred my cooking to the protein shakes Alec kept forcing on him.

"Sounds good," he responded, turning back to the mirror above the dresser. "Just let me look one more time."

I laughed at him. "You're worse than a girl, I swear."

He smirked at me as he ran his fingers through his hair. Damn, he looked amazing. I wanted to mess up that hair with my own fingers. "You know you want me to look amazing, baby." He paused, his eyes on mine in the mirror. "Can you do me a favor and play a word against Emmett for me?"

I could do that. His phone was on the nightstand and I grabbed it and pulled up Words. What in the hell? I was going to have get Emmett a dictionary. Who in the hell played ME? "He played ME? Really? Emmett needs to work on his vocabulary." Well, maybe it was the end of their game. Not everybody could play cool words like WET and RUB at the end of a game like I could.

I selected the game and was surprised the board was practically empty. So he really did need a dictionary. The only words there were…holy shit. I sucked in a breath and looked at Edward, whose eyes were still on me, burning with something other than hunger now. He reached into his drawer and turned around with a black jeweler's box in his hand. This was real. It was real. MARRY ME. That's what the board said. Edward approached and got to one knee in front of me. The phone slipped out of my hand and landed on the bed as I threw my hand over my mouth and tried to contain the loud "YES!" that I wanted to scream before he even said anything.

"You're so beautiful," he started, smiling up at me, looking like prince in a fairy tale. Holy shit. I was going to marry him. I knew I was, of course, but this was real, now. "Almost perfect. There's only one thing missing." He opened the box and there was a big, sparkly square diamond set diagonally and a bunch of smaller equally sparkly ones on the band. It was gorgeous. So was he. And they were both mine.

He took my perfectly limp left hand in his. "A year ago, I didn't know you. I didn't think I wanted a girlfriend, let alone a wife. Then you came into my life with a simple word like name and you changed my world completely. You became my world. The odds of us meeting this way had to be astronomical, but we were meant to be. You found me through a game and I thought I'd complete the circle by using our game to ask you if you'd take my name and become my wife. I love you, Bella, more than I could ever say. Will you marry me?"

Oh, God. I didn't know if I could talk. I did know I was doing my damndest not to cry but I was going to fail on that front. I nodded and finally forced the word "Yes," out so he took the ring out of the box and slipped it onto my finger. It fit. Of course it did. Just like he did. He stood up and I didn't give a damn about makeup or anything else. I threw my arms around him and kissed him as if there was no tomorrow. He moaned as I kissed him over and over again, covering his face, his lips, his jaw and every bit of skin I could touch. He laughed when I finally pulled away, wiping at my face. Oh shit, I was crying. Totally worth it, though.

"Maybe I shouldn't have done this when you were all made up," he observed, handing me a handkerchief.

I laughed and dabbed my eyes. At least the mascara was waterproof. "No, it was perfect. You were perfect. I can't believe you used Words to propose to me."

He picked me up and twirled me around the room. "The game brought us together; I figured I should use it to seal the deal."

He was so perfect. There was no better way for him to have proposed. I loved it. "How long did it take you to get the right letters?"

Edward chuckled. "I think Emmett and I had to swap tiles a good thirty or forty times. Of course, he just needed an E, so he was fine the whole time, but it took me forever to get the letters for MARRY." He picked the phone up off the bed and handed it to me. "Then I had to make sure that you could play the right thing on it."

He thought of everything, didn't he? There was an E and an S just waiting there, so I played them off the Y in MARRY. "I notice you didn't give me an opening to spell no," I pointed out with a grin. Not that I would ever use it even if there was a place to play NO.

Edward shrugged. "It's not my fault that NO doesn't play anywhere on the board."

I giggled. "Even if it did, I'd never play it." I kissed him, trying to give him everything I felt in this moment. It was overwhelming just how wonderful I felt. "I love you so much, Edward. I can't wait to be your wife."

"Me either, baby. I was thinking maybe in October?" How much did I love that he was planning it already? Then again, we were busy through the summer, so fall was the earliest we could swing it if we were going to use our cabin like we'd agreed back in Berlin.

"Perfect," I told him, kissing him one more time. My lips needed fixing anyway. I held my hand up so I could admire the gorgeous ring he'd gotten me. "Nobody's going to have a prettier accessory than I do tonight."

"No, they're not," he agreed.

"I better fix my face so I don't look like a raccoon on the red carpet." I had to look even better to go with my new ring.

"You're beautiful," he promised me, but he was blinded by love I knew. And how wonderful was that?

I smiled at him. "You're going to win tonight. I can feel it."

"I already won," he announced, running his finger over the band on my left hand.

That was so true. "We did," I declared, kissing him again.

"Yes, we did." He released me so I could make myself presentable. I was going to be appearing on the red carpet as Edward Cullen's fiancée. Talk about a glamorous life. Who knew what one little word on Words would lead to?

Xoxoxoxoxox

I made myself presentable and honestly I thought I looked better now than I had before, probably because I was grinning and glowing. I was engaged! Maybe if I said it a thousand times I'd be able to wrap my head around the idea. We got into the limo and Edward immediately pulled me in close and started nuzzling my ear. I laughed and inched away from him. Limo sex was always on that man's mind. God, love him for it. "Don't think I don't know what you're up to, Mister."

"Up to? A man can't kiss his fiancée in the back of a fancy limo?" He tried to feign innocence but Charlie Swan didn't raise a fool.

"Kissing me is going to lead to touching me which is going to lead to limo sex, which you know I very much want to have."

Edward groaned. "Baby, you can't say things like that and expect me not to attack you."

Turnabout's fair play, Mr. Cullen. "Save it for after the ceremony. We've already ruined my makeup once tonight and I'm not emerging from the limo looking rumpled and had. Could you imagine the headlines then?"

He sulked about it for a few moments and I figured I'd better change the subject. "We should call everyone before they find out we got engaged from the television." Before they heard about it on TV. I could think of a few people that might kill me before I got to marry him if they did that. "Damn, I left my phone at home." Stupid tiny purses that don't hold anything.

Edward gave me his phone and shifted uneasily next to me. I narrowed my eyes at him. I knew that look. He'd done something. "What did you do?" I demanded. "Did you tell them already?"

He looked so sheepish it was almost adorable. Only almost. "Not exactly," he muttered, toying with my fingers.

I pushed his hands away. "What does that mean?"

He sighed. "Well, obviously Emmett knows, because he had to help me with the game."

And suddenly I knew that everybody knew about my engagement before I did. "Which means Rose knows," I started. How in the hell did she keep it from me?

He was so cute. He looked worried. "Well, yeah, and you know that Emmett doesn't keep a thing from Mom, so…"

"Esme and Carlisle know. And Kate has to know because of course people will see the ring and be asking questions. Garrett will know through her. Is there anyone else that knows? Did you take out an ad in Variety?" I couldn't even pretend to be mad about it, honestly. I kind of loved that he had to involve other people.

"Well…" he started, making me laugh. Clearly there were others who knew as well. "I had to ask your dad for permission, so of course he knows, but not when. I didn't tell him when I was doing it. And Alice doesn't know."

Foolish boy, of course Alice knew. Rose wasn't keeping that to herself. And hell, Ali talked to Emmett all the damn time. For two people who claimed to dislike one another, they spent an awful lot of time gossiping and chatting, and fighting of course. "I bet you a million dollars that Alice knows."

Edward shrugged. "Maybe, but I don't know that she knows."

Inspiration hit. Maybe there was one person in our circle who didn't know. "What about Jane? Can we surprise her at least?"

He looked away and I slapped his knee. No way! "Her too?"

"She might have helped me pick the ring out. She said you have the same size fingers so I needed to see how it looked and…" He sounded positively miserable. I couldn't have that.

"Edward." I pulled on the neck of his jacket until he turned to look at me, his beautiful green eyes full of nerves. "I love that you got everyone involved, even if you didn't intend to. After all, they've all been a big part of getting us together and keeping us that way. I don't mind, at all."

"You don't?" he asked. "Even though it's going to be anticlimactic to tell them?"

Absolutely not. "There is nothing anticlimactic about the fact that we're engaged, Edward Cullen," I scolded him in the teacher tone that never failed to thrill him. Subtle man that he was, he'd bought me an actual high school kids desk for Christmas for our role playing. It was getting a lot of great use, I must say.

"And I'm still calling to tell them. They'll be just as excited anyway!" Alice would probably be able to be heard screaming all the way from Washington. Edward laughed and slid his arm around me. Dad had to be first, so I highlighted his number and put it on speaker phone.

"Hello," he answered in the gruff tone that he used for Edward and Emmett. I suppressed an urge to giggle.

"Hi, Dad!" I couldn't contain my excitement at all.

"Bells!" His tone was twenty times happier now that he heard it was me. "Don't you have that fancy show tonight? Sue's already got one of those channels on watching the early arrivals."

Edward and I grinned at each other. "We're on the way," I responded. "I'm calling you from the limo."

"You've come a long way from riding in the back of my cruiser," he observed.

I had to laugh. "Hey, at least I'm not calling you from one, right?"

"You're the wrong girl for that call. What's going on?" he asked.

I smiled as Edward wound our fingers together. He kept touching my ring. I didn't blame him. I kind of wanted to do nothing but stare at it. "Edward asked me to marry him today and I said yes!" I told him, thrilled.

"Well, it's about time," he muttered.

"Dad!" How rude.

"I'm happy for you, Bells," he said quickly. "I've been ready to hear that news for awhile now." Damn, how early had Edward talked to him? I shot him a look and he shrugged. Jerk. Wonderful jerk. "Congratulations."

"Thanks, Dad. We're thinking of getting married in October at the cabin, but we'll let you know for sure soon."

"Sounds good. Cullen, you know the drill."

Edward sat up a little straighter. "Take care of your girl. Yes, sir, I will."

"And?" he prompted, making me laugh. Dad had the boys trained at this point.

"And keep her out of trouble, even though she never gets in trouble. You still don't trust my brother not to drag us all down with him one of these days. I promise it won't happen."

"Good. Well, I guess I'll see you on the TV shortly. I'm sure you look beautiful."

"She does," Edward answered, kissing my hand.

I couldn't stop smiling. "Thanks, Dad. I'll call you in a day or two, okay?"

"Sure, Bells. Have fun and be careful."

He never changed. "I will. Love you, Dad."

"Love you, too." Edward let out a relieved breath and I kindly refrained from laughing at him.

"Now, your parents!" I hit Esme's cell and relaxed against Edward.

"Hello!" She had that tone on. Oh yeah, she knew.

"Hi, Esme," I said, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Bella! How are you?" she asked. "Are you all ready for the show?"

"I'm wonderful, Esme. And I'm ready; at least I think I am." I had a few butterflies the closer we got, but I had Edward to get me through. "I'm a bit nervous but Edward says I look fine."

"Fine?" he huffed. "I did not say you looked fine. I believe I used words like stunning, gorgeous and exquisite."

"You better have," Esme warned him. "It's a big deal for a woman, Edward."

He shrank away from the phone and I laughed at him. She had her boys so well trained. It was awesome. Hopefully one day I'd be half as good as she was with our kids. Our kids. Jeez. I couldn't wait. "He made me feel like the most beautiful woman on the planet, Esme," I swore. Gotta keep the future father of my kids out of trouble with his mom after all.

"Only the planet? You're slipping, son."

Edward rolled his eyes. "I'll try to do better," he said sarcastically.

"If he did any better, my head would get too big for my shoulders," I supplied. "We have some news we wanted to share."

"News? What news?" As if she didn't know. Esme Cullen was many things but subtle was not one of them.

I giggled. "Esme, I already know you know. Edward proposed and I said yes!"

Esme yelled and told Carlisle that Edward had finally proposed to me. "It's not like you didn't know thanks to Emmett's big mouth," Edward reminded her.

"At least one of my sons keeps me informed of things," she responded, making Edward flinch. "And I couldn't be sure you'd done it because Bella, my lovely daughter-in-law-to-be, keeps calling me Esme instead of Mom. An oversight which I'm sure she'll be correcting now that it's official."

Oh shit. I hadn't meant to insult her or anything. Edward laughed at my expression. "I'm sorry Es…I mean, Mom. I didn't want to assume…"

"Nonsense, darling. You know I understand. You wanted to surprise me and I love you for it. I couldn't be happier that my son is marrying you. You know I already consider you my daughter and I'm just thrilled to make it official."

Her words made me feel so welcome. I felt tears welling and Edward touched my cheek. "I'm so happy to be a part of your family. And you know that I'd love to call you Mom. You're already like a mother to me. Thank you for making me feel like I belong."

"Oh, sweet girl, you don't belong anywhere else! You come to dinner tomorrow night and we'll celebrate. I want to get a look at that gorgeous ring and hear what you're planning."

"Am I invited, too?" Edward asked, glaring at the phone.

"Of course. I need someone to occupy your father."

"Funny, Mom."

She laughed. "Okay, handsome son, I very much want to see you and congratulate you as well. Is that better?"

"Some," he decided.

"Well, how about this. I love you, I'm thrilled for you, and I can't wait to see the two of you on the red carpet tonight. I know you're going to win and I couldn't be prouder of what a handsome, talented boy with wonderful taste in women you are."

We both chuckled at that. "That's better. Thanks, Mom."

"You bet. Now you two go and have a good time. I'll invite Emmett and Rose to the party. Should I ask anyone else?"

Edward looked at me. "Let's just keep it family for now."

"Family!" She couldn't sound more thrilled. "Yes, that works. Have you told Charlie yet?"

I smiled. "Yes, we just called him."

"How'd that go?"

"He knew it was coming. He's happy." As such things went with Charlie Swan.

"Good. I'll give him a call soon to check in on him. Have fun! Love you both!"

"Love you, too," we both replied.

"Well, that went well," Edward said. "She's totally replaced me with you."

"She has not." Tease him though she might, he was the apple of her eye. Her baby boy. "I guarantee you if I did anything to hurt you, she'd come down on me like the wrath of God."

Edward nodded. "She'd do the same to me over you, though."

"Which is why we're not going to hurt each other." That was an easy promise to make.

"Damn right."

"Rose?" I asked. Edward gave me the go ahead and I dialed.

"Your brother is a cocksucking douchelicker," was how my best friend apparently spoke to my boyfriend, er, fiancé, when he called. I started laughing and Edward looked flummoxed. She still managed to surprise him.

"Um…" Edward said, for lack of a better word.

"Skydiving! The asshole wants me to go skydiving next week when I've got midterms to prepare for. He's sulking because I said no. Dickfucker."

Edward looked like he was going to be sick. I wasn't sure what that was all about. Emmett and Rose fought all the time. It wasn't a big deal. "God damn it!" Rose shouted suddenly. "He distracted me and I fucking forgot. Congratulations Mrs. Cullen!"

"It's a good thing I proposed to her before we called you, secret spoiler," Edward responded.

"Whatever, Edward, I know damn well what time it is and Bella isn't taking her phone to the Globes which means she had to use yours. Unless you pussied out and didn't ask her, in which case I have a lot worse things to do than ruin your surprise."

Uh oh, better nip her in the bud before she turned on my man. "He asked and I said yes," I interjected.

"Yes!" Rose shouted. "We've got to party!"

"What about your tests?" Edward asked. I shot him an incredulous look. Did he want to piss her off? Maybe he was trying to take the heat off of Emmett.

"We can go skydiving anytime. My best friend gets engaged only once," she replied sounding annoyed.

She was about to go off. "Esme's having dinner for us tomorrow night and you're invited. We'll talk about parties and stuff then," I told her hurriedly, before she tore into Edward.

"Sounds good. I need to knock out another chapter before the show tonight."

"Uh, Rose," Edward said, looking like he'd rather be at the dentist or something. What was going on with him? "I know you're busy and you and Emmett could go skydiving anytime but I really think you should consider going. It's kind of a big deal to him."

"Why?" she asked suspiciously.

He tugged on his collar like it was choking him. "Um, he had a friend who was a pilot who died a couple of years ago and Emmett goes up in honor of him. I'm sure he wants you to be there." That was so not true. I could see as clear as day that he was lying, but why? "Don't say anything, though. He doesn't like to talk about it," Edward added hurriedly.

"Really?" Rose asked, sounding a lot less hostile. "Shit. I'd better go apologize."

"Don't! You can't say anything!" Was he sweating? What in the hell?

"I won't," she promised. "I'll just make him feel better in my own special way."

Lord, we knew what that meant. "Rose!" I stopped her before she could start with the details. "We don't need to hear about your special way."

Rose laughed. "Just imagine what we'll be doing while you're walking the red carpet."

Ew. That was my brother-in-law she was talking about. Well, soon to be anyway. "And on that note, we're leaving," I groaned. "Bye, Rose."

"Bye, Mrs. Cullen!" I couldn't help it, hearing her call me that made me feel like I'd won the lottery.

"What was that all about?" I asked once Edward hung up the phone. "You were totally lying about that dead friend. Why does Rose need to go skydiving with Emmett?"

He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair nervously. "He told me he was going to propose to her while skydiving. I'm assuming that's what he was going to do and why he was pushing her to go despite her tests."

We were going to be sisters! I knew we would eventually, but this soon? Awesome. "Really? They're going to get engaged, too?"

"Yes. Well, they will if she doesn't kill him for proposing to her in the air and if she doesn't serve jail time for manslaughter when she kills me for lying. One or both of the Cullen brothers may die next week. I'll leave the house to you," he said, making me giggle. I hugged him to me. He was so cute when he was terrified of Rose, or my father, or his mother. He was cute all the time.

"I won't let her kill my fiancé. I think she'll be so thrilled about being engaged that she won't care about your terrible lie." Dead pilot friend, for crying out loud.

"I had to think fast!" he protested. "What would you have said? I mean, it's not a normal thing to try to come up with a lie around."

He had a point. "Very true. I have no idea what I'd say."

"Well, then, you just keep me protected and I'll tell Emmett about the skydiving lie tomorrow. Maybe he could just pretend it's real and that he's proposing that way because it reminds him to seize the moment," he finished triumphantly.

Uh, no. "He's not starting their marriage off with a lie," I told him. He looked very disappointed. "You better tell him now."

"Fine, but you better not let her kill me."

I kissed his cheek lightly. "Never." Edward called Emmett.

"What?" Damn he sounded angry. Their fight must have been a good one.

"Don't you get pissed at me; I just did you a favor."

"What did you do?" he asked, his voice slightly less annoyed.

"I convinced Rose to go skydiving with you."

"What? How?" he demanded.

Edward rolled his eyes. "Listen, that's why I'm calling, jerk. I told her that you had some pilot friend who died a couple years ago and you wanted to go up to remember him."

Emmett took a bit to digest that information. "Why in the hell would you tell her that?"

"Because she was pissed at you for wanting her to go up when she's got all this work to do. I figured she'd go if she thought you were all emo about something."

He laughed with delight. "She totally will, too. But you're dead for lying to her."

My poor fiancé looked like he wanted to crawl under the seat. "I'm not dead if you propose correctly like I did."

"Hey! I forgot when Rosie got so pissed at me. That's awesome. Where's my sis?"

I loved that he called me that. "I'm right here. Hi, Emmett."

"Hi, Sister-in-law! I'm so glad it's finally coming true!"

I laughed. "Me too. And I can't wait for Rose to be my sister as well so you take advantage of my man putting his neck on the line for you."

"I do. We're finally even, maybe," he allowed.

"Kidnapping versus murder, I'm totally ahead," Edward pointed out.

"No you just…holy mother of God," he broke off on a choked cough. What the hell?

"What? Emmett? Are you okay?"

"Rosie, what are you wearing?" Edward sent me a look of panic. "Mmm, is that for me to use on you or you to use on me?"

"Emmett! We're hanging up!" he yelled, eager to get away from whatever was about to happen there.

"What? Right, oh yeah. You win. I owe you. Bye, bro." He disconnected before we could.

"I don't even want to know," I declared. "Let's just pretend that never happened and call Alice."

Edward dialed her without another word. "Hey, aren't you supposed to be on my television right now?" she asked in lieu of a normal greeting.

"We're on the way," Edward said. Yeah, it felt like we'd been in the limo forever. When were we going to get there?

"Bella, are you there? How's the dress? Did they get the fit right? Because if they didn't…"

"The dress is amazing," I swore. "It fits like a glove. You chose well." She'd been adamant about me wearing color and standing out. Or maybe I'd blend since the carpet was red? Who knew? She liked it, Rose liked it, Kate and Jane were cool with it and it worked for me. That was that.

"Good! I can't wait to see it. And is your hair up or down? I know we said down but…"

"Ali, we're engaged," I announced, interrupting her stream of thought because she'd never shut up about how I looked if I let her keep going.

"You are!" she shrieked. "I'm so excited! We're getting married!" She laughed. "No, Jasper, we're not getting married, Bella and Edward are! It's so exciting!"

Edward laughed. He was still a little unsure of Jasper, mainly because he'd sort of fangirled over him when they met. I couldn't blame the guy, though. Steven Steele was kind of his hero. From what Alice said, he was very mature about ninety percent of the time but the other ten he'd remember he was eighteen and act accordingly. She loved him, though, and I was happy for her.

"We're pretty excited," I agreed.

"How was the proposal? What did he say?" Alice wondered.

"He is right here and what he said is for just the two of us." I wasn't sharing all the details of our moment. "But he used our game to do it." That much I would tell her.

"He proposed with Words? That's awesome! No, Jasper, you can't do that, obviously, and you know we're not getting married until after you graduate." I laughed. She sure knew what she wanted.

"Tell me about the ring!" she demanded.

"It's square cut," I told her, smiling down at the sparkly gem on my finger.

"Princess," Alice and Edward corrected, making me giggle. Trust them both to know.

"Yes, that. And it's set diagonally and there are lots of little diamonds going down the band."

"Pave'," Ali said. "Nice. I'll be looking for it."

Of course she would. Edward snickered. "It's big enough that you'll see it but not so big that Bella would refuse to wear it."

My man knew me. "You know me so well."

"That I do, baby," he agreed.

"Okay, I can tell you two are about to start full on face sucking so I'm going to go, but I'll remind you first that Bella's all made up so you better not ruin it, Edward!"

He chuckled. "She's already banned me from doing anything major until after the show. We're safe."

"Good! See you soon! I can't wait!"

"Bye, Alice." I disconnected and I glanced around. Why weren't we moving? "What's all this traffic?"

"We're in the line, baby. Each limo pulls up and lets out the attendees. Takes time."

"Should we call Kate?" I wondered. "I mean, she's about to get hit with this."

"She knows, but here." He took his phone and started texting. I watched over his shoulder.

It's official. Bella said yes!

Like that wasn't going to set her off? Sure enough, the phone rang immediately and we both laughed. Kate wasn't letting him get away with that.

"Hello," Edward answered, putting her on speaker too.

"Nice, Edward. I've known and taken care of you for nine years and all I get when you get engaged is a five word text? You're fired." Kate killed me. I loved her so much.

Edward laughed. "You can't fire me."

"Like hell I can't! You're lucky I love your fiancée. Congratulations, Bella."

I grinned. "Thanks, Kate. I promise I'll keep him in line. Things are about to get crazy for you again, I'm afraid." Poor woman, always having to deal with our fires. At least this was a good one.

Kate laughed. "I'll take celebrity wedding over celebrity scandal any day. I'll get a press release together officially confirming the engagement and send it out tomorrow if that works?" she asked.

Edward nodded even though she couldn't see him. "Yes. I'm sure they'll see the ring and you'll get calls."

"I'll send it out when the noise gets too big tonight, then. Go, win and thank me."

He laughed, his gorgeous green eyes twinkling with humor. "Hmm, I seem to have left you out of my speech."

"Do it and die, Cullen. You really will be fired then. You can forget Garrett, if you want, though. It'll probably make him cry."

"You're a cruel woman," he observed. Poor Garrett. She teased him mercilessly, but she loved him fiercely. They were a great couple.

She laughed. "I'm just giving Bella some lessons for wifehood. I'll make sure she's got it down."

"You stay away from my wife." His wife! I still couldn't wrap my head around it but damn it made me happy.

"It cannot be done. I like her more than I like you, and considering you used to star in some of my fantasies, that says quite a lot."

Edward groaned while I giggled. "Stop perving on my man, Kate."

"Tell him to stop being so good looking, then. Except not tonight. Tonight we need hot. Is he hot, Bella?"

I checked him out even though it was wholly unnecessary. "The hottest."

"Lucky bitch. Alright, you two rock the red carpet and I'll sit back and reap the benefits. Talk to you later. And congratulations, for real."

"Thanks, Katie." He hung up and grinned at me. "Nearly time. Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be." I was a lot calmer now. His wife. I was marrying Edward. It was a dream come true.

The car finally pulled up to the curb and the door was opened. "Here we go," Edward said, giving my hand a squeeze before he moved around me to climb out first. I could hear the shouts starting immediately, but Edward seemed unfazed, holding out a hand to me. I grasped it and got out and stepped into the madness. Both our names were yelled then and cameras were going off like gunshots. Edward waved at the press and I smiled at them and the fans that were yelling their heads off for my man. This wasn't so bad, except for the flashes that were making me see spots.

"I think I'm blind," I told him.

"I know, the worst part of these fancier red carpets is that you really shouldn't wear sunglasses. One of these days I'll ignore it," he said, putting his arm around me. "Now we just walk through the line and we'll have to stop every five feet or so to talk to someone. The smaller outlets only get a couple questions but the big ones get whatever time they want. They'll move us along when they're done with us."

Big was relative, I supposed, because Ryan Seacrest was up first. "Edward Cullen! Ladies and gentleman, we have Edward Cullen and his lovely girlfriend, Bella, here on the red carpet. Edward, how are you feeling about tonight?"

Edward smiled brightly and leaned into the mike. "I'm excited. I'm thrilled to be here sharing this night with my fiancée, Bella, and being nominated is just the cherry on top of what's been the best year of my life." I nearly jolted when he called me that for the first time on camera. The world would know now. It was official. I loved it!

"Well, that's some big news! Congratulations Edward and Bella! When did you get engaged?" Ryan inquired, seemingly genuinely happy for us.

I grinned and put my right arm around Edward's waist, holding him like he held me. "Earlier tonight. Edward decided I needed a little sparkle tonight."

"I'd say that's a lot of sparkle," Ryan observed, reaching for my hand and holding it up for the camera. I kind of wanted to do a little victory dance or something but I refrained. "A new fiancée, a Globes nomination, an Oscar nod; I'd say you're riding pretty high right now, Edward."

"I certainly am," he agreed, shooting me his killer smile.

"And Bella, I have to ask for all the ladies out there, who are you wearing?"

There was the question. I was almost relieved it finally came. "Gucci."

"You certainly wear it well. It's a stunning dress," Ryan observed. Edward made a little noise and glared. Like he had anything to be jealous of? Silly boy.

"Thank you. I just wanted to look good on the Sexiest Man Alive's arm tonight," I said, teasing him. He'd recently been named that by People and it killed him every time we brought it up.

He squeezed my shoulder and I laughed along with Ryan. "I'd say you fit with him perfectly. Congratulations again and good luck tonight, Edward."

Edward thanked him and we continued down the line. Gossip clearly spread fast on the red carpet because Edward didn't have to announce it once we'd gone through a couple more reporters. They all just knew and asked to see the ring pretty much immediately. At least I had something more to talk about than who I was wearing. Edward had done well by proposing tonight, it made me more comfortable and I felt less like arm candy and more like his partner, I guess.

"This gets pretty tedious, huh?" I said after what felt like the billionth interview. We were in line for Extra now so we had a little break.

"It does when I don't have you by my side," he said smoothly.

God he killed me. I gave him a quick kiss. "What was that for?" he wondered.

"Just because you're so damn cute," I replied.

"Cute is hardly a word I'd use to describe him," a ridiculously sex-filled voice observed from behind us. I knew that voice. I hated that voice. I tensed as we turned to face Irina. Edward gave me another supportive squeeze. Here we go.

"Irina." Edward gave her a toothy smile that was nothing like the ones I was used to seeing. "Congratulations."

I focused on her finally and nearly laughed when I saw she was wearing some version of my white Gucci dress. Was she kidding? The only thing missing was my gold and black flower; she had some light pink one instead. Pathetic.

She made her move, leaning in to Edward. He turned his face so that she only hit cheek with her poisonous lips. She was lucky. Rose's advice of punching her out didn't seem so ridiculous right about now. "It's good to see you again," she purred. For a split second, she looked pissed off before smiling at him.

Edward didn't respond and she turned to her date. "You've met Peter, haven't you?" Yeah, she was still dating the guy, or dating him again or whatever. He looked like he'd slept in his suit, it was unbuttoned and his shirt was untucked and very wrinkled. How very hip of him. I fought back a laugh as Edward nudged me forward.

"And this is my fiancée, Bella," Edward announced.

Peter held out a hand which I shook. It was sort of clammy and gross but at least it wasn't sticky. He looked like he'd have sticky hands. Irina's eyes narrowed on my hand and she gave me some royal nod like I was beneath her. Bitch.

"So that's for real? I'd heard but I really didn't believe it."

Evil whore. Yes, a punch would be very nice. Blood on that pretty copied white dress. "I don't see why you wouldn't," Edward said, sounding unruffled by her rudeness. "Bella's the love of my life," he told her.

"Oh, Edward, really, you were always such a romantic." She sounded disgusted. Of course the bitch never appreciated him.

"He's still a romantic," I declared, smiling at her despite the fact that I wanted to knock her caps out of her mouth. "I'm the luckiest girl in the world."

"I'll say," she said sarcastically, the pretty mask she wore slipping a bit. There was the jealous harpy I knew her to be. One punch wouldn't be so bad, right? I mean, Emmett got in fights all the time and he wasn't rotting in jail. Dad could only get so mad about it. "Are you pregnant or something?" Irina asked. Insulting bitch. Because he'd only marry me if he knocked me up. Pathetic.

Edward gaped at her. "What? Why would you ask that?"

"Because she thinks I trapped you into marrying me," I answered, keeping my voice pleasant though I was sending her murderous thoughts. "Why would a guy like you marry me otherwise, right, Irina?"

"Tricking a man into pregnancy is so tacky," she informed me, like I'd confirmed it. As if I'd stoop that low.

"Yes, it is," I agreed, smiling. No more doormat Bella. "Which is why I'm surprised you didn't go that route. I guess you wouldn't want to risk ruining your body, though, huh?" Edward's jaw dropped and Irina recoiled like I'd struck her. If only.

"Did you just call me tacky?" she asked, like she couldn't fathom such a thing.

"If the dress fits," I told her, looking her up and down deliberately. "It fit me better though. Nice try." I was done with her, so I turned around to face the front of the line again. I also couldn't contain my triumphant smile any longer.

"I…what?" Irina started. I giggled silently. She was at a loss for words. That might be a first.

"You heard her. The next time you think about insulting my fiancée, think again. She's twice the woman you'll ever be. You're right about one thing. I'm marrying her because I have to." What did that mean? I turned back to look at him and he smiled at me. "I have to spend the rest of my life with her otherwise life isn't worth living. I wasted enough time with the wrong people and I'm not wasting one second with the right one. Now, if you'll excuse us."

We both turned around and I grinned at him. Irina had looked completely dumbfounded by his words and I loved every single one. "You're awesome."

"Same goes, baby. Watching you cut her cold like that was nearly as good as you hitting her might have been."

Only nearly, though. I'd still like to give it a try. Alec had taught me some moves. "I can still do that if you like. I've been training."

Edward chuckled. "No, you might get blood on your dress."

"But I'm wearing red." She was wearing white and it would be quite satisfying to bloody her, or was it my, gorgeous dress.

"I'm pretty sure she bleeds black," Edward murmured.

The man had a point. "True. Okay, it'll wait then."

"I love you," he said just as the Extra lady turned to us.

"I love you, too." I always would.

Xoxoxoxoxox

"And the winner for Best Actor in a Drama goes to…" Meryl Streep stopped to tear into the envelope. I was dying. I felt like I was the one nominated, not my handsome fiancé. It sucked sitting through nearly three hours of awards that I hadn't cared about, other than Irina's, and then I only cared because she lost. Take that, bitch. I didn't even try to hide my joy for Emma Stone. What? She was really cool and maybe we could be friends. Nobody had to know I was being catty. I held on to Edward's hand as if my life depended on the answer.

"Edward Cullen!" she announced. Yes! He won! I knew he would because he was amazing and everybody had to see that. People started clapping as Edward turned to me. His lips were hard and hungry on mine and probably wholly inappropriate for a celebratory kiss but I didn't care. He grinned as he broke away from me and headed up to get his award. He gave Meryl a kiss on the cheek and held his statue as he turned to face the crowd. His eyes met mine and he smiled at me as he started to speak.

"Wow. Thank you. I most certainly did not expect this, but this movie has surpassed my every expectation from the day I signed up to do it. I was so honored to tell this story for the paraplegics out there. What they go through on a daily basis, the hard work they do to try to regain their ability to do the things you and I take for granted is just astounding. I met many wonderful people while researching this role and their perseverance and positivity were truly inspirational. I strive to be more like them in all that I do and I wish them the best in their continued recovery." He was so amazing and so humble and perfect up there. I couldn't be prouder.

He smiled again. "I wouldn't be here today without the wonderful team of people I have around me. Marcus Johns took a chance on a kid with one guest acting gig under his belt and he's the one that found this movie and encouraged me to do it. Garrett and Kate Steinberg have had their hands full with me this year but they're the best manager and publicist in the business which they proved time and time again." I laughed quietly. Kate had gotten her shout out, but Garrett had gotten his, too. That was a good thing. "Thanks to Columbia Pictures for believing in this film, Ryan Sanders for being an amazing director, Barry Stevens for producing and all the cast and crew that turned a good script into a wonderful movie."

I grinned at him. He wasn't going to mention her by name. If I didn't already love him with everything I had, I would have fallen even harder. His eyes were shining as he grinned at me.

"Of course, I owe everything to my mother, Esme Cullen, who decided that Hollywood was her calling and dragged us along with her when she took this town by storm." People laughed at that. Esme, er, Mom had quite the reputation. "My father, Carlisle, has been extremely supportive and my brother, Emmett, has been my best friend and biggest protector. I'm so grateful that they're behind me." He had the best family in the world and I loved that he appreciated them and was making me part of that wonderful group.

"Finally, I'd like to thank the love of my life, my fiancée, Bella, for making what was already a pretty good life even better. I already felt like a winner when she agreed to marry me earlier today." Oh, God, I felt tears starting again as the crowd applauded and some people even whistled. Edward just smiled and looked completely unaffected by it all. He was so smooth. "So I thank you all for making my night complete, and I thank her for making my life complete." He held up the award and got more applause before he came back down the stairs and straight to me.

God, he was wonderful. I threw my arms around him when he got back to me. "That was so sweet." I kissed him and his arms tightened around me, pulling me as close as I could get without it being inappropriate.

"I meant every word. I know mine aren't quite as good as yours…" That was utter bullshit. I cut him off with a kiss.

"Your words are beautiful," I swore. He could render me speechless with less than sentence.

"Yours are," he disagreed. "Yours are what got us here."

"Ours are." If we'd learned anything, it was that we complemented one another. His words, my words, it didn't matter. What mattered was that we belonged together and we'd keep giving each other our Words until neither of us could talk or write anymore. Somehow, though, I thought we'd find a way to continue even then.


	60. Final Words

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Kate Steinberg

Office: 323-555-2813

Fax: 323-555-2814

October 27, 2012- Oscar Winner Edward Cullen and his fiancée, Ms. Isabella Swan, were wed today in a ceremony in an undisclosed location. In attendance were the groom's parents, Dr. Carlisle and Esme Cullen, as well as his brother Emmett and his fiancée Rosalie Hale along with a few close friends. The bride was given away by her father, Chief Charles Swan and his wife, Sue Clearwater.

The bride wore a Vera Wang original, as did her attendants Rosalie Hale and Alice Brandon. Emmett Cullen served as best man and Jane Turner stood for both the bride and the groom. The intimate ceremony was conducted by a family friend. Also in attendance were Marcus and Di Johns and Garrett and Kate Steinberg.

In December, Edward Cullen will begin filming _Alpha Dog,_ a Vietnam era war movie, and Isabella Cullen will be overseeing the shooting of her first script, _Words with Friends._

The bride and groom are honeymooning and ask for privacy at this time. They will make themselves available for interview upon their return. If you have any questions, contact Kate Steinberg at 323-555-2813. Wedding photo is attached.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it. There will be some outtakes to come but these guys are where they need to be! I hope you enjoyed it!


	61. Chapter 61

A/N I was supposed to post this last week but I was sick and this past week I was heartsick over the bombings in Boston and Texas. Know that my thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by those terrible acts. I think distractions are good at times like this and hopefully this will bring you a smile or two, as you've done for me over the past week. Thank you so much for all your kind words and support with my novel. It means more than I can say and was the one bright spot in the week. Let's check in with WordsWard and ScraBella, shall we? As usual, some differences in the text but the same situation.

Words with Friends

I smiled as I looked at my phone. Rose rolled her eyes. "Is that him again? I swear, you're going to get one of those itemized phone bills and it's going to come in a box because the man cannot stop checking on you."

Yes, Edward was a tad overprotective these days, but it was sweet as hell. He'd always been attentive but since the moment that he found out he was going to be a father, he'd been even more so. Nobody was as spoiled as I was right now.

I looked around the room and had to laugh. "You think Edward's overprotective? Why is it you haven't left my side all week? And Esme finds excuses to stop by every five minutes." As if on cue, the doorbell rang. My dad snorted and went to answer. "Alice calls every hour on the hour. Jane keeps texting from the set of her movie. I think I have plenty of worrywarts around me." I shifted and tried to get more comfortable, as if that was possible. My baby boy was a stubborn little Cullen. He came by it naturally.

Rose sniffed. "I'm just here because someone has to keep the crazy people from hauling you to the doctor every time the baby kicks." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Since Carlisle's working, I'm the closest thing you have to a doctor."

She was so full of it. Rose was more than a little excited about her nephew-to-be. "Just wait until it's your turn. I'm going to remind you of this moment when they're all up in your space as b-day gets close."

Rose looked wistful for a moment but shook her head. "Not yet. I've got to get through med school before I even think about it. I'm just going to spoil this little guy for awhile, if there's any spoiling left to be done."

Esme bustled into the room wearing one of her fancy suits. "Bella, I just found the sweetest little onesie." She held up this little white onesie that said Future Movie Star. I laughed and took it from her.

"It's perfect." Imagining my real life movie star husband holding his son wearing that onesie made my heart clench a bit. I was anxious to see my baby, yes, but I was almost more anxious to see Edward with our baby if that made any sense. He was so impatient, so ready to be a father. I had no doubt he was going to be an incredible one.

Esme got out the computer, for the billionth time, and she, Rose and Sue started shopping again. I swear the baby had more clothes than I did, more toys than Emmett did and more stalkers than Edward did. Pictures of me with my ever growing baby bump were all over the internet and the offers we got for baby pictures were just insane. Edward and I talked it over and agreed that we would release one photo via People and we were only doing that to hopefully drive down the interest in the newest Cullen. I didn't know if it would work but I was willing to try. I wanted my son to have peace while he could.

I put my hand over him and smiled when I got a kick as a reward. He was an active one. Just like his father…well, hopefully. Better that than his uncle for sure. The day that Emmett found out we were having a boy he'd gone out and bought a little baby car that actually had a motor. As if my son was getting in that thing ever, let alone when he was first born. Crazy Emmett.

Of course, nothing would top Edward's reaction to the baby news. I felt myself smiling when I remembered that day. It had been our first days off together since our honeymoon and of course we'd spent the better part of the time in bed. Sex was, after all, our favorite activity. And I was finally feeling better after nearly a week of feeling nauseous. It took me that long to piece it together and realize that I might be pregnant. I hadn't expected it to happen so soon after I went off the pill. Neither had Edward.

When I could see straight again, I turned to look at Edward. "It almost feels like we're back in the cabin." I missed it so much, already.

He smiled and played with my tousled hair. "We'll squeeze some time out to go soon."

Not any time soon, what with our schedules and the baby. God, I couldn't wait to tell him. I'd managed to set it up only minutes before our last round of incredible sex. "Not with our schedules. But as long as we make time for this here…"

He laughed and hugged me. "There's always time for this." He kissed me and I almost lost myself in him again, but I remembered that there was a plan in place. I was going to make his favorite dinner and he'd see the Words and we'd celebrate.

"Yes, there is, and now there's time for sustenance if we're going to do this again." Edward stared at me and I fought the urge to jump him again. The way he looked at me, as if I was the sexiest woman he'd ever seen, got to me every time. I put my robe on and he stuck his lip out in an adorable pout, making me laugh. "Naked dinner is perfectly acceptable, but I'm not cooking fried chicken without some protection."

He perked up at the mention of his favorite. "Fried chicken?"

"Alec approved it for tonight. But he wants you back in the gym first thing tomorrow." Getting Alec to agree had taken a bit of wheedling but luckily he adored me. I'd have to see if he knew a good trainer for during my pregnancy.

Edward groaned at the mention of Alec's name and hid his face. I cracked up. He hated his regimen but he had to admit it made him look damn good. Still, I could cheer him up again. I kissed the top of his head. "I might also have stopped and picked up some Chocolate Decadence cookies for dessert."

He practically vaulted out of the bed making me laugh. Yes, we were going to have our favorite cookie to celebrate our news. "See, at least the gym visit will be worth it." Edward tried to grab me again but I moved out of his reach. "Cut it out, insatiable one."

"You like that I'm insatiable," he whined, moving the sheet and showing me exactly what I was missing. I was mortal and of course I licked my lips and tasted him. God he was beautiful. And mine. And I was having his baby. How was this my life now? "And you don't seem disinterested yourself."

"Oh, I'm interested," I assured him. "It's a tough choice between you and the chocolate but I'm a lucky girl that gets to have both." He stood and tried to get me but I moved away again. "Oh no, chocolate first. You later."

"What kind of priorities do you have woman?" he asked, his lips twitching with a smile.

"I've already had you twice. Now I need some chocolate so I can have you again." And I need to get away from you before I blurt everything out and ruin the surprise. I'd been close about a billion times already, and only sex with Edward had distracted me. Which wasn't a bad thing.

That seemed to please him. "Okay."

"Get a shower, a cold one, and meet me in the kitchen," I told him. He started heading that way and I felt the nerves jumping in my stomach. Don't show him, Bella. Don't show him how excited you are. "Oh, and do me a favor? When you get done with that, check your phone. I started a new game with you."

He stopped. "Did I win?" I laughed at that insanity and went down to get started on the chicken. There should be just enough time to get it cooked before he got out of the shower and I ran upstairs to see his reaction. I heard the water start as I opened the fridge and got out the chicken. I'd already coated it in my special mix so I just needed to warm up the oil in the pan along with boiling water for the corn and…

"Bella! BELLA!"

The way he was screaming scared the hell out of me. Had he fallen in the shower? Was he hurt? I went toward the stairs only to find Edward running toward me completely naked. "Edward? What's wrong?"

"Baby? We're having a baby?" Oh, thank God. I felt my heart start beating again. Trust him not to wait until after his shower. I was kind of upset I'd missed it but the look of awe on his face was what I'd expected and I smiled and nodded. I hoped he was as happy as I was. I knew it was fast, but I wanted our baby so badly.

"Yes. You were supposed to wait until after…" but I said no more as Edward picked me up and kissed me, swinging me, laughing maniacally when his lips were off mine. I hugged him and the tears came as I knew I was finally going to have my own real family. One I made, one where my child never had to worry about being wanted and loved.

"When are we due? What are we having? When do we find out?" Edward shot the questions at me, looking around the room frantically as if the baby was going to randomly appear. I laughed at his insanity.

"I don't know any of that yet. I've been feeling sick the past few days and it occurred to me that it was possible that I was pregnant so I bought some tests and took them this morning." I smiled as I remembered taking his phone. "I may have stolen your phone when you got on the computer to check your scheduling with Kate and set up Words. I thought I had to tell you that way." It was all I could think of when I found out I was pregnant. We'd met with Words, we'd gotten engaged with Words, so I had to tell him about our baby the same way.

Edward smiled and told me he loved me, kissing me and lowering me down onto the couch. Dinner, cookies, all of it was forgotten but it didn't matter. I had everything I wanted right in that living room, with my husband and our baby. We'd both only laughed when we discovered our flooded bathroom, forgotten in the excitement of the baby news. It made for a fun story, much like all our stories, it seemed.

"She's got that look on her face again. She's got an Edward sex haze happening." I glared at Rose, slightly grateful that she'd somewhat filtered herself in front of my father and mother-in-law but still, that wasn't cool.

"I was remembering when I told Edward about the baby and we flooded the bathroom because he left the shower on when he read it on Words." Not being able to be grammatically correct had almost killed me but I didn't have enough time to figure out a way to do so. WE HAVE BABY was as good as it got.

Rose raised an eyebrow. "Are you telling me that you didn't have celebratory sex? Because you might recall that I lived with you so I know just how often the two of you…"

"Enough!" Dad shouted, covering his ears. "There are some things a father just doesn't need to know."

My cheeks were bright red and I glanced at Esme who just laughed and touched my stomach. "Please, I'm married to a Cullen. I know exactly how much of a libido they have. And it got me my grandson, so I'm all good."

"You are now," I reminded her, laughing at the memory. It had been so close to Christmas that we decided we'd wait and tell the whole family when they were together. Alice and Jasper were coming down to visit and so were my dad and Sue. It made sense, except in practice, because we'd both had to avoid Esme, which is not an easy thing to do. She'd been quite perturbed at the time. Luckily it had all been directed at Edward since he was her son.

"Well, the prodigal son has finally returned!" Edward cowered as if she'd raised a hand to him, which she just might had I not been standing there. She pulled me into a hug and whispered that she'd missed me before turning to her son. She hugged him hard enough that he let out a little oof. "Is there a reason you haven't been at family dinners?"

My big, strong husband went pale. "We've just been really busy, Mom. This new movie is kicking my as…tail and Bella's got some rewrites and things have just been nuts." Even our lives weren't that insane but I wasn't going to argue.

"Your brother is on the same movie and he's managed to make dinner."

I took a moment to be grateful that Edward was getting all that chilly wrath. "Emmett would fly in from Antarctica to make one of your dinners." Edward smiled winningly. "I would, too, for that matter, but it's just taking a toll on me and all my down time is spent with my new wife. I'm sure you understand that?" How dare he drag me into this? This was…well, partially his fault anyway.

"You should always call your mother, boy." Dad broke the tension, well, mine anyway, when he clapped Edward on the shoulder. "Merry Christmas, Esme."

"Charlie, Sue, it's wonderful of you to come." Esme loosened up and smiled and invited us all into the living room. Edward froze when he saw who was there.

"Edward!" Jasper practically launched himself into my husband and I giggled at the expression on his face. He'd never get used to his fanboys. Girls he got, but the boys baffled him. Edward patted him on the back and shot me a pleading look. "Alice said you're making a war movie. Is it awesome?"

"It's pretty cool, Jasper. Emmett can tell you all about the explosions and effects he's doing."

Emmett grinned and came to his brother's rescue. "Yes, young padawan, sit and be awed by my awesomeness." Edward smiled and pulled me back to him as soon as Jasper released him, his big hands folded over my stomach. I couldn't begin to count how often he touched me there now. It was the sweetest thing ever.

"I know we're supposed to wait for the toast but my mom's glaring at me and your dad probably shouldn't be near any sharp implements when we tell him, so can we do it now?" he murmured in my ear, making me chuckle. I knew he wouldn't be able to wait until the toast.

"Damn, are you two at it again? Haven't you come down from the Honeymoon Hornies yet?" Rose asked, making everyone look at us. Dad shot Edward a look and I decided it was time.

"We're not…that's not…" Edward started, stammering cutely under my father's angry glare. I reached up and covered his mouth before he said something stupid.

"Edward was just asking if we could make an announcement now or if we should wait for dinner. Seeing as we're the center of attention thanks to you, Rose, I guess we'll do it now." She was my best friend but her mouth got us all into trouble on more than one occasion.

Esme knew. She gasped and her eyes got really big. I removed my hand from Edward's mouth. "Me?" he asked, sounding incredibly hopeful.

"You." I wanted him to have this moment.

"We're pregnant." Never before had a silent room become so animated. Esme had me in her arms before Edward finished speaking. Dad was next to me, touching me gingerly and asking if I was alright. Rose looked like she was going to cry. Alice was bouncing and Jasper looked a little green around the gills. Guess he wasn't ready for babies. I couldn't blame him there. I hadn't been at that age either. Carlisle was beaming proudly and Sue smiled softly.

Emmett yelled out, "Way to go, Bro. See, Rosie? We have super sperm. You'll be knocked up the instant you're off the pill." She smacked him for that but didn't stop smiling.

"Is that why you stayed away?" I turned when I saw Esme addressing Edward.

He nodded. "You'd know. You'd get it out of me and we wanted to tell everyone together."

She kissed him and held his face in her hands. "I'll forgive you, this time, but next time, you tell me right away. I have things to buy!" And then she dragged me to the couch and grabbed a laptop and every female in the room started picking out things for my baby. It was wonderful. I saw my dad approach Edward and speak to him quietly. The fear melted off my husband's face and he nodded and smiled. I didn't know why he was still scared of my father. Dad loved him, even if he didn't admit it often. And I could see that he was excited about being a grandfather. They shook hands and I knew all was well. It was the best Christmas I'd ever had for sure.

"I can't help it if I don't like for my sons to hold out on me. You try raising a child like Emmett and see if you can avoid the early onset of gray hairs and dementia." Rose cracked up at Esme's statement and I joined her. At least I did until I felt a sharp pain and sudden wetness beneath me.

"Uhh, I think my water just broke." There was a beat of silence and then suddenly everybody was up and moving around the room.

"Charlie, you get the car. Bella's bag is already in there, yes?" Dad nodded and ran from the room at Esme's orders. "Rose, grab something for Bella to change into. Sue, call Edward, then Carlisle, Kate, Alice and Jane." Esme studied me for a few seconds. "You could also call…no, fuck her. She can find out through a press release like everyone else."

Esme's hatred for my mother was well-known. She wouldn't tell us what all had happened, but I knew my mom had tried to get a reality show after news of me and Edward broke. Esme had made damn sure that nothing ever saw the light of day and on the few occasions that I'd spoken to my mother she'd been brief and blown me off. Honestly I hadn't even thought to call her after I found out I was pregnant. I guess that said it all.

Esme called a number and announced that I was in labor and on the way in. "Your doctor," she told me when I questioned her. "They'll have your private room ready and we're going in the back way. Tell me when you have another contraction." She somehow was timing it and giving orders. That was Esme for you. In just a few minutes I was changed and on the move in the back of Emmett's customized SUV. I had no idea what the thing was but Dad had commandeered it and Emmett was still scared of him so he let him use it.

"Edward and Emmett are on the way," Rose told me, holding my hand as another contraction hit me. This…wasn't fun. My pregnancy had been pretty good all things considered and maybe I'd mistakenly thought birth would be a breeze as well.

"Ha, they'll probably beat us there," Dad predicted darkly. "If that boy gets a ticket…"

"Shut up, Charlie, it's a special day. If Emmett speeds, it gets Edward to Bella faster. And you know that she wants him." Only Esme could get away with talking to Dad like that but she was right; I did, I really, really did need Edward right now.

We pulled up in front of some private entrance and a nurse waited there with a wheelchair, which I thought was excessive but I sat in the thing anyway. I was ushered into my private room and set up with minimal issue. Dad looked awed by the big, comfortable room, Rose was checking out readings on the monitor and Esme was asking questions about my doctor's whereabouts and giving instructions for letting Edward in.

"Do I get drugs?" I asked.

Sue laughed and squeezed my hand. "Not just yet, Bella. Let the doctor examine you first." And Dr. Baden came in shortly thereafter and did so, declaring me only a few centimeters dilated and not yet drug ready. That sucked. Kate and Garrett showed up right after that sad news and it wasn't long until I was all smiles again.

"I hope you're ready for another Cullen man in this world. My job's about to get a billion times harder. Offers for baby modeling, parents trying to match their daughter up with the cutest baby ever, because we know he will be, acting jobs…you two really should have consulted me on this whole baby thing."

I giggled. "We were kind of indisposed at the time."

"I just bet you were." Kate wiggled her eyebrows at me just as another contraction hit. She patted me lightly. "How about we focus on something else? How's the screenplay coming? Can I start a buzz?"

"Nearly done so buzz away." Publicity was good. I couldn't wait for my movie to come out in just a few short months. It was so surreal. Was this really happening?

Noises could be heard from the hallway and Esme looked up from her phone, where she'd been texting like mad. "My boys are here." My boy was here. Thank God.

"Edward!" He came bursting in, looking frantic, still in his Steele clothes and makeup. His mom intercepted him before he could pounce on me. "Your father's on the way. Alice and Jasper can't make it down but they're thrilled for you."

Edward ran to my side just as a contraction hit and I grimaced. "Are you okay? She needs medication! Where's the doctor? Is it time to breathe?"

Trust my husband to be more worked up than I was. "You need to start breathing," I told, him laughing once the pain rescinded. He was so damn cute. "It's a long process, sweetheart. You know this."

"Yeah, didn't you go to the classes?" Garrett asked.

"He went to every class," Kate responded, no doubt remembering the nightmare of press and scheduling that went with making sure Edward could attend everything.

"And every appointment." It was quite possible that he'd never been more beautiful than he was the first time he heard our son's heartbeat at our first appointment. Except for maybe when we found out we were having a boy, though of course he would have been just as excited for a girl I knew. I'd caught him looking at little tiny dresses in some of the boutiques I dragged him to. Maybe someday we'd add a little girl. He'd be amazing with a daughter.

"Hey, DILF," Kate said, kissing Edward on the cheek. Clearly she knew just how much more attractive he was about to be to the female populace. And to me. God help us all.

"Stop it, I'm not a DILF." I laughed at the discomfort on my gorgeous husband's face.

"You're going to be king of the DILFs, Cullen, but I wasn't talking about you." She moved past him to kiss Carlisle, who'd just walked into the room. "God, this family is fun to fuck with," Kate announced, making the rest of the room crack up. "If you'll excuse me, I have to go lie to the press, make them think DILF-to-be's exit from the set was a false alarm. Then I'll plant some rumors that you're over at UCLA. Garrett, come on, let's let them have some family time."

"Wait! What kind of ILF am I, if my dad and brother are DILFs?" Emmett demanded before she could leave.

"You're a DOLF, Emmett." A what? Em clearly didn't know either and Kate touched his cheek. "A Dumbass Others Like to Fuck. Not me. Go see that girl of yours that is entirely too good for you."

I laughed at the pout that moved over Emmett's face and my muscles clenched again. "Damn, it hurts to laugh."

"Stop making her laugh!" Edward yelled, sounding panicked.

"Edward, it's fine. It gives me something else to concentrate on," I promised, touching his cheek. His eyes were wild and he looked like he was going to jump out of his skin. I knew he was worried about my blood pressure, which had been high a time or two, but all was well. We were going to do this, no problem.

"Okay, I just…"

"I know," I assured him. "I'm anxious and excited too. He'll be here soon."

If only my words had been true, but no. I took hours and hours to dilate to the point needed so I could hear that magical word. Never before had "Push" been such a beautiful word to me. I tried to sleep a little, to get some strength, but contractions came fast and furious and I didn't get much. Everyone cleared out, though Dad, Sue, Esme and Carlisle stayed in the waiting room. Edward was as attentive as can be, getting me everything I wanted or needed, touching me constantly, telling me stories and entertaining me until finally I heard the word I'd been longing for.

I held onto Edward with everything I had in me. The drugs numbed some but they damn well didn't take away all the pain. I was a sweaty mess but I bore down and pushed for all I was worth. My baby didn't feel like coming out with just one, of course, and it took way longer than it does in the movies. I'm totally not ever writing a birth into any of my screenplays since Hollywood makes it look too easy. Assholes.

Edward kept telling me that he loved me, telling me to breathe, wishing that he could take the pain for me. I managed not to yell at him. I wasn't going to be a cliché, even if he had impregnated me and put me in this position. I pushed again and the doctor finally said the head was out, which was good since it was giant and stretching me in ways I'd never recover from. Edward looked down and I swear there were tears in his eyes. It would have been cute if I didn't have two thirds of a baby still inside of me.

I pushed again and then one more time and finally I heard my baby cry. I was too exhausted to reach for him but Edward held him so gently when they handed him over, a look of awe on his face. I was crying and so happy but so damn tired. I wanted my boys and that was it. These people all needed to go away. The doctor was still fiddling around and finally Edward handed my baby to me.

"Hello, baby," I whispered. He was so little. He didn't feel little when he was coming out of me. He was red faced and he had a lot of hair and big dark blue eyes. He was the most beautiful baby that ever lived and he was mine. I kissed his sweet forehead and he seemed to like me because he stopped crying and snuggled into me.

"Shouldn't we call him by his name?" Edward asked, enfolding us both in his arms.

We had one? We'd bantered back and forth about it for ages. Did we use and E name like his family had? Did we name him after a parent? "Did we officially decide then?"

"Aiden Charles Cullen, I'm your daddy," Edward announced. Aiden's head moved a little at the sound of his voice. "I think he approves."

"Of course he does," I agreed. "He's got the best daddy in the world."

Edward kissed me, looking so beautiful and earnest. "I'm going to do my best to be the best husband and father to you both. You're my entire world."

"We know." I lifted a tired hand to his cheek. "We have faith in you." Who knew that a simple game of Words with Friends started with a hope of finding my crush would lead to this moment? I should send the guys that designed it a present. They'd earned way more than the $2.99 I'd paid for their app. I had a better life than I could ever have imagined, thanks to a silly little game. We'd gone a complete circle from the word name to naming our first child. Aiden. That was the most beautiful word of all.


End file.
